Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Music in Film

Music in Film
Music in cinema is often heard and interpreted by moviegoers as mere background sound. Something that they eat popcorn with, as the movie progresses and as the incidental jingle that drones along with the visual, filling the holes of missing dialogue and ambient sound. It’s my intention to demonstrate the musical sound track is more than aural wall paper. It is a separate art form that creates a holistic experience and frames the narrative both subconsciously and consciously transporting the audience to a more inclusive film experience. An experience that adds layers of emotional cues and address the films narrative. This powerful tool which is created by the film composer’s imagination can carry the audience’s hearts and minds to a thoroughly new experience.
The musical score can be the solidifying agent that glues the films scenes with power and emotion. Each note and rhythm stitches the characters performance with feelings and passion. Without the musical counter balance, Technicolor films would seem “monochrome” and lifeless. Chase scenes devoid of the pounding back beat of a base electric guitar would crawl along at a snail’s pace. Love scenes lacking the quite violins serenading the embracing couple would seem unromantic and dull.
I will explore three distinct musical paths in cinema. First, the symphonic driven film score that is written and produced for the film. Second, a music sound track that uses both the classical musical form and pre-recorded music that takes a contemporary structure. And lastly a film score that incorporates pre-recorded music to set the tone and mood of the narrative.
In addition, I will show that these three differing types of compositions that are used to fulfill the films story invoking different emotional contexts for each of the films structure.
Music in cinema has progressed significantly since the days of silent movies. The Vitaphone, an early recording system using multiple discs, developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric to add sound to films was introduced. (Film Sound History).
During the silent movie age, the film projector was anything but silent. In fact one of the reasons live music accompaniment was introduced was to mask the forward sound of the clanking film projector (Cohen). Music was then played to enhance and accompany the narrative using distinct motifs for comedy, melodrama or horror. W.D. Griffith and other silent film directors of the early 20th century introduced original musical scores to reinforce their powerful monochromatic film images.
Also, in the silent age of movies classical music became an important creative tool. W.D. Griffith’s film Birth of a Nation used Mendelssohn’s Wedding March and Richard Wagner’s The Ride of The Valkyries, to fit the action and emotion of the silver screen. Griffith was one the first American directors to maintain careful control and selection of the musical accompaniment for his films (Anderson). As an early American auteur, Griffith was obsessed with his music. He even traveled with The Birth of a Nation with the orchestral parts in hand to distribute to each new theater and also oversaw the whole presentation (Anderson).
The mostly silent cinema world in the 1920’s was turned on its head when Alan Crosland’s, The Jazz Singer premiered in 1927. Based on Samson Raphaelson’s short story, The Day of Atonement, the Warner Brothers production featured synchronized dialogue and musical numbers by Al Jolson, virtually “silencing “ (and ending) the once powerful silent film industry (The Jazz Singer).
The talkies changed the way audiences reacted to the film narrative. They no longer had to interpret larger than life acting with over blown facial expressions and cue cards leading the emotional path of the melodrama. This new generation of film audience was experiencing an innovative approach to storytelling that added emotional dimensions to this bold new world of music and sound.
When we hear the Jaws theme music, written and conducted by John Williams wonderful orchestration, what emotions come to mind? Fear. Or when we listen to “Hedwig’s Theme”, composed by John William’s for Harry Potter and the Soccer’s Stone, what feelings are invoked? Magic.
For Harry Potter fans John Williams’ masterful motif for Harry’s white owl Hedwig is universally known and loved. Hedwig’s magical frame work is played on the harp, celesta and other orchestral instruments that invoke magical associations with historical music and drama. For instance composers before the age of film such as Tchaikovsky who used the harp in his ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker to support super supernatural characters, places and events which were techniques borrowed heavily by John Williams(Webster, Jamie Lynn) .
Williams’ magical motifs also become a signifier for the supernatural. Music accompanies magical characters throughout the Harry Potter series, but non-magical events and characters are not musically reinforced, contributing to the musical blandness and plainness of the muggel world.
For example in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, starts with a musical Prologue when we first see the Warner Brothers logo and continues thru to the fade to black and fades up onto Harry’s new home on Privet Drive. It is a dark and eerie night and the symphonic music swells when Albus Dumbledore played by the late Richard Harris arrives with his deluminator and starts removing the luminance from the street lamps. William’s again adds to the orchestration with a symphonic transition when the light is captured in his deluminator. But this musical “Mickey mouse” effect as it is called in the film industry, illustrates how a simple musical treatment can change the visual atmosphere to a complete visual and auditory sensation.
The magical symphonic score continues thru the delayed title sequence until Harry Potter’s Aunt says “it’s time to get up Harry” some eight years later in story time. These first four and half minutes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone sets the tone for the next eight Harry Potter movies. True to his own artistic judgment and guidance from Executive Producer and Writer J.K Rowling, William’s envisions the magic and intrigue that is needed to sustain the Harry Potter phenomenon. Indeed, under the direction of Chris Columbus’s, William’s created a musical score that reinforced the expectations of the millions of existing Harry Potter fans.
Additionally, in the musical prologue of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone the celesta plays an important role in establishing the magical atmosphere. This small piano like instrument sets the stage for William’s delightful motifs that changes from minor to major chords, depending on the desired emotional enchantments that need to be addressed.
William’s again surprises the audience when he includes a motif inside of a motif. When Rebues Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) arrives with the baby Harry Potter under his arm, the Celeste motif is replaced with an orchestration rendition, this time in a major key that reinforces and further establishes the Harry Potter signature melody.
There is a wonderment and awe when we listen to William’s orchestration. The celesta is used again in The Arrival of Baby Harry scene, when Dumbledore places a letter on the Dursley’s door step, introducing the muggle family to the orphaned Harry Potter.
In the next magical scene Harry and his muggle family visit the zoo. William’s composes an atmosphere of wonderment and discovery when Harry starts talking to the snake from Burma behind the glass enclosure. Harry asks the snake if he misses his family, the music changes to a minor key, reflecting the sadness in the snake’s reaction. Dudley, played by Harry Melling, pushes Harry aside to get a better look at the snake inside the cage. At this point Harry has his first major magical impulse and makes the glass disappear in the snake enclosure and Dudley falls into the snake pit as the snake escapes. The music changes with a swirl of violins, with musical flourishes similar to Fantasia’s, Mickey The Sorcerer's Apprentice, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, to emphasize the historic event in Harry Potter’s magical life.
The music continues thru the next scene when letters arrive for Harry, inviting him to the Hogwarts School of Magic. A number of owls descend on the Dursley’s home delivering letters that Uncle Vernon Dursley played by Richard Griffiths keeps tearing up. The Hedwig theme continues to play thru this scene, adding magical realism and reinforcing Harry’s magical potential. In the final chapter in this scene, hundreds of owls arrive suddenly with letters from the Hogwarts School. The celesta plays the Hedwig theme again when Harry looks out the window to see an army of winged owls. Letters then fly down the chimney flooding the house with magical letters, the Hedwig theme changes again to a more powerful orchestration, filling the Dursley’s home with the full orchestration of violins, horns and harps with a celesta crescendo as the house is now flooded with letters flying and encircling the Dursleys and Harry.
The audience in now under John William’s spell. The Prologue and Hedwig’s themes have been truly established. Williams in these first four and half minutes was able to establish the growth of Harry Potter. From a mere mortal to an enchanted eleven year old boy, the music reflects Harry’s coming of age, and the new responsibilities that are forth coming in Harry’s life. The music is Harry and all that he stands for. In a way, John Williams was able to get inside the characters head, reflecting his inner most thoughts and fears.
John Williams’ musical leitmotifs are so powerful “the music for Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone... works on several levels. It's a brilliantly constructed companion piece to the film, integrating seamlessly with every image and emotion. But most importantly, it captures the soul of the Harry Potter world”, as film director Chris Columbus notes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Webster, Jamie Lynn).
I will have to concur with Jamie Lynn Webster in her doctorial thesis, The Music of Harry Potter:

Continuity and Change in the First Five Films, suggests “that Williams' music is the life-blood

that flows through the film, weaving emotion into the story much as arteries weave through the

body”. Williams’ music is so viable in the first two Harry Potter movies that it not only sustains the

visual narrative but may define characters and their emotions thru individual interpretation (Webster, Jamie Lynn)..
In the third scene of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hagrid finds the Dursleys and Harry on a remote sea island trying to escape the magical letters that keep arriving at the Dursley’s home on Privet drive. Hagrid breaks down the door and gives Harry a birthday cake for his eleventh birthday. Hagrid then explains to Harry that he is a wizard. The celesta begins again with it’s now well established tune and escalates to a partial orchestration of Hedwig’s Theme, reinforcing the magical statement that Hagrid has just made. Harry now knows that he is different and his parents were wizards and did not die in a car crash that he was lead to believe. Harry’s world is turned upside down and his new realism is taking shape. The music coincidently fades to the abyss as Harry feels and interprets this new fact in his life. Harry now is a wizard and the musical silence is deafening.
The orchestration composed by Williams is part of an historical continuum of narration and musical scores. Great films scores are now as popular as celebrated opera works were in the 19th century. Both are loved and appreciated all over the world, from Puccini’s, Madame Butterfly to Max Steiner, Gone with the Wind.
Steven Spielberg’s films also greatly benefit from the contribution of a talented composer that rivals some of these remarkable Operatic opuses. Spielberg’s musical vision eclipses and transforms the landscape of music and sound by creating a hybrid sound track, one that incorporates the classical form scored exclusively for the film, famous in the Hollywood narrative and contemporary music that is selected from modern day or popular music of the narratives time period.
The subtext of Steven Spielberg’s grand auditory cinematic vision creates settings and backdrops that define new boundaries for artistic cinematic expression by blurring the lines between diegetic and non-diegetic. Spielberg produces a hyper-diegetic synthesis of music, sound and dialogue that resonates at perfect pitch. If you watch and listen to many of Spielberg films, a catharsis is cast over you, engulfing you in his creative diorama.
In E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial , Spielberg is casting his imaginative web, in which emotions are trapped by this auteur’s craftsmanship. Spielberg palette is not new, since he follows the rules and regulations of old Hollywood.
As a director and composer that loves films and music, Spielberg and John Williams pay homage to other great composers. In E.T. you hear remnants of Miss Gulch on her bicycle from the Wizard of OZ as Elliot takes off on his bike is search of ET (E. T., the Extra-terrestrial) . In another scene, we hear one of the boys whistling the Twilight Zone theme, as they look for ET in the backyard. We also hear tributes to Cecil B. de Mille’s Ten Commandments in the opening space craft scene when ET first arrives on planet earth ( E. T., the Extra-terrestrial) .
Spielberg, carpets E.T. with wall to wall music. This isn’t just any carpet of sound, it’s a fine Persian fabric hand crafted in the Ottoman Empire. Spielberg mixes diegetic and non-diegetic forms, which are barely detectable.
E.T., has no dialogue for the first eight and half minutes. Ambient sound and music fills the screen. Musical parameters are established to capture the viewer’s attention.
John Williams musical compositions in E.T is established early. Williams’, famous motifs are used to determine good and evil. The close up of the keys, dangling by a mystery person, searching for the Extra Terrestrial is punctuated by Williams’ famous ominous measures.
Spielberg subtlety sets the tone by auditory suggestions by inserting Jim Carol’s song, People Who Die, in the establishing exterior scene of Elliott’s house there a presumption and foreshadowing that everyone will die because this extra terrestrial has been left behind to fend for its survival. Spielberg also use’s the Persuasions song, Papa Oom Mow Mow, to establish an ambient layer of looseness and middle class harmony in the family room interior scene. Elliot’s brother Michael sings Elvis Costello’s song, Accidents Will Happen in the family’s kitchen, when moments later, Elliot introduces Michael to the extra terrestrial (E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial).
Spielberg also mixes media in a very clever way by using the sound from PBS’s television children’s show, Sesame Street to set the mode of the kitchen and family room scene. When E.T. discovered the refrigerator and drank a number on beers, becoming intoxicated and wondering the house in a flannel bathrobe that is too big for him. With the television set on and blaring, a Sesame Street character is reciting the letters of the alphabet. Gertie (Drew Barrymore) is also trying to teach ET the alphabet by reciting the letters in front of the television set. The smart little ET creature instantly starts talking. The use of an existing media- diegetic to interact with the Gertie and ET is pure Spielberg genius (E. T., the Extra-terrestrial)
In 1967 the opposite approach to the interwoven symphony score is this use of popular music which is best demonstrated in the film The Graduate. It was a tumultuous time for America with the Vietnam War was in full operational mode and San Francisco was bursting out with the Summer of Love, and race riots along with urban tensions were ravaging across Americas inner-cities. In the backdrop, The Graduate, explores several coming of age issues. With a large number of baby boomers entering adulthood, thoughts of family, love and mortality consumed the age group.
The white youth of American cinema was being treated to a creative revolution, a revolution in the film and music industry that we still feel today. Mike Nichols, the director of the Graduate, choose to forgo the traditional route of using an orchestral film score, but instead used previously recorded popular music for his film. The Graduate opens with the Simon and Garfunkel hit song, Sounds of Silence, which had been released three years earlier in 1964.
According to David R. Shumway, the song Sounds of Silence claims a greater share of the viewer attention in the opening sequence than Dustin Hoffman’s character on a moving sidewalk at the Los Angeles International airport (Shumway).
Ben (Dustin Hoffman) is in the foreground as the cream colored background wall moves in unison while Ben looks lost and forlorn as he travels to pick up his baggage at LAX. Simon and Garfunkel’s song foreshadows Bens longing for clarity in his life after graduating with honors’ from an Ivy League university. Sounds of Silence sets in motion the angst Ben must experience in the next few days. Although the music is non-diegetic, the audience feels the pain and emotions that Simon and Garfunkel are conveying in their lyrics.
For example in the third verse of Sounds of Silence, Paul Simon writes, “People talking without speaking, People hearing without listening, People writing songs that voices never share, And no one dared, Disturb the sound of silence”. In the next scene the Sounds of Silence ends in perfect backed time fashion with Ben staring into the distance, with his own Sounds of Silence as he internalizes about his tenuous future (The Graduate).
In the Taking the Dive scene, Ben is 21 years old and his father (William Daniels) wants to do something special (The Graduate). Ben’s father, Mr. Braddock, is throwing a birthday party for Ben in the backyard swimming pool. Mr. Braddock has purchased a scuba diving outfit for Ben, to try out in the family swimming pool. The camera cuts to Ben wearing the scuba gear, the ambient sound disappears, and we only hear Ben’s forceful breathing. This obvious setup connects the audience to the Sounds of Silence and Ben’s further isolation of being at his parents’ house during his episodes of post college anxiety fears.
In the Fear and Lust scene Ben secures a hotel room for his affair with Mrs. Robinson, played by Ann Bancroft. Ben slams a door when Mrs. Robinson accuses him of being inadequate and a virgin. In the darkness of the scene we hear Sounds of Silence, “Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again. “ The segued music begins in black with montage images of Ben floating in the pool, drinking a beer. Ben gets out of the pool with the music still forward and puts on a white long sleeve shirt and walks into the house. The film cuts to Ben opening the bathroom door of the hotel room and lies down on the bed. Mrs. Robinson approaches him and takes off his shirt, before their affair officially begins, Ben gets out of bed and shuts another door, where his mother and father are symbolically eating dinner. All during the before mentioned scene Ben still has an empty and silent look about him. Ben’s face shows apathy that fits perfectly with the melody and lyrics of Sounds of Silence (The Graduate) .
In another change in the non- diegetic music, April Come She Will by Simon and Garfunkel is introduced as a visual and auditory montage to celebrate Ben’s and Mrs. Robinson’s successful carnal relationship. Nichols, subtly adjusts temporal and spatial interactions to increase the validity of April Come She Will montage. Suggesting in “April come she will, June, she´ll change her tune and August, die she must”, which clearly defines and establishes the arch of Ben’s and Mrs. Robinson’s relationship.
In Pressuring the Parents scene we circle back to another pool scene where Ben is floating in the pool. Ben’s father is pressuring Ben to ask out Mrs. Robinson daughter. Which Ben does not want to do, because he has promised Mrs. Robinson he would not go out with Elaine, (played by Katherine Ross). In frustration with the questioning, Ben dives under water with his scuba mask, to escape his parents monotony. Under water, ambient sound disappears and we and Ben experience diegetic silence and solitude. Another suggestive moment that alludes to the title song, Sounds of Silence.
The inevitable happens when Ben goes on a date with Elaine. Ben drives fast and reckless to a strip club where Elaine breaks down and cries at the intolerable circumstances of their initial date. Ben quickly apologizes outside the strip club for his rudeness, and they quickly embrace in a kiss. The camera cuts to the next scene where Ben and Elaine are eating hamburgers in a drive in restaurant. The diegetic music presumably coming from the car radio is The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine, written and performed by Simon and Garfunkel . The lyrics so aptly reinforce the narrative at this point in the film, “Do people have a tendency to dump on you , Does your group have more cavities than theirs,
Do all the hippies seem to get the jump on you, Do you sleep alone when other sleep in pairs”. The camera sits on a wide shot, when the music if brought up full, as we see Ben and Elaine engaging in full date night conversation. Again filling in the emotional holes, that the narrative leaves out.
In another poignant scene in The Graduate, Ben confesses to Elaine that he is having an affair with her mother. Elaine screams at Ben to get out of her sight. The camera cuts to a shot of Mrs. Robinson, isolated in a corner of a room and the scene fades to black. The camera fades to a familiar scene of Ben in his bedroom with the aquarium in the foreground. Scarborough Fair/Canticle written and performed by Simon and Garfunkel is in the foreground as the camera cuts in montage style of Ben’s despair, longing for Elaine’s company. The lyrics reinforce Ben’s loss.” Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme .Remember me to one who lives there, she once was a true love of mine”. In perfect harmony with the story, Mike Nichols picks a wonderful sonnet to express Ben’s deep desire to be with Elaine. Ben’s frustration with his life and his carless relationship with Mrs. Robinson is clearly evident, in this remorseful song. As with all the montage sequences in The Graduate, the music is forward, without ambient sound, as not to interfere with the lyrics and help place emphasis on the visuals.
In a number of reprise musical passages of, Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Ben travels to Berkley to find his true love. The camera follows Ben’s red sports car across the Oakland Bay Bridge, as the helicopter shot zooms out in great 1960’s fashion to reveal the San Francisco Bay. In these scenes Ben has a determined look. A look of a man with purpose and desire as he searches for Elaine.
Clearly, Elaine’s emotional frailty is exposed as she can’t decide to marry Ben or Carl Smith (Brian Avery). In her emotional quandary some feminist film theorists would be annoyed with Elaine’s stereotyped character, especially since she fully understands and has experienced Ben’s neurotic behavior.
In the Multiple Proposals scene, Ben is thinking that he is going to marry Elaine and shops for a wedding ring and other pre-matrimony gifts. A whistling rendition of Mrs. Robinson is introduced to accompany Ben’s new confidence with Elaine. Although reminding the viewer of his affair with Elaine’s Mother. Ben’s mood is jovial and blissful, which is apparent in the joyful melody.
Director Mike Nichols and music editor Dave Grusin introduce the Mrs. Robinson theme a number of more times, finding opportunities to intertwine the altered thematic form throughout the remainder of the film.
In the Surprise Visit scene Ben frantically drives to find Elaine before she gets married to Carl. He drives from Berkeley to Los Angeles, then Los Angeles to Berkeley, with the guitar and scat overture of Mrs. Robinson forgrounded. It’s reasonable to believe that adding the Mrs. Robinson theme adds additional anxiety and tension to Ben’s back and forth driving, up and down US 101. These short renditions of Mrs. Robinson were also remixed to emphasize the acoustic resonance of the solo guitar, suggesting a slight influence of the protest songs of the 1960’s.
When Ben finds himself a few blocks from the wedding chapel, he runs out of gas. The acoustic guitar version of Mrs. Robinson slows down in time with Ben’s car coming to a halt. Again, adding to the already tense scene of Ben’s marauding up and down the California highway system in search of Elaine.
In the final scene, Ben arrives at the chapel a few seconds too late, the groom has just kissed the bride. Ben screams Elaine, Elaine, and Elaine for several moments. Elaine turns her head, stares at Ben for a few awkward seconds and screams back, Ben, Ben. Angry wedding guests chase the couple to the chapel door, Ben blocks the door with a metal cross he removed from inside the chapel. The newly married Elaine runs off with Ben as they hop on a Santa Barbra city bus. As they reach their seats in the back of the bus, Sounds of Silence is brought to the foreground. Both Elaine and Ben stare forward, glancing at one another occasionally. Ben’s stare is reminiscent of his blank expression as he rode the moving walkway at the airport.
In one aspect the Sounds of Silence in this final scene fulfills the apathy and mistrust of the 1960’s. The mistrust of marriage, of social norms and of the conventions of moral decency. With this unusual ending we cannot predict what will happen to Elaine and Ben. In the context of the 1960’s, I don’t think anyone really cared if they lived happily ever after. But with the Simon and Garfunkel sound track, I believe their haunting lyrics and remarkable melodies added another level of uncertainty to this dramatic fictional tale.
Music editors, directors and symphony composers can create a synergistic atmosphere for films in a variety of ways.
Some film directors still prefer the conventional style of the orchestrated sound track, using an original musical score that was completed after the final visual edit. Other directors, who may have a more contemporary sense, use modern or popular music to convey more current trends in there film narrative.
It’s a collaborative effort to achieve the directors artistic vision for the musical component of any film. Many composers have tried and failed in interpreting the director’s creative requirements.
Using popular music can be more challenging in creating a distinct filmic mood since the audience usually has found emotions and ideas associated with the films. In rare cases such as The Graduate, it can work and yet songs such as Sounds of Silence have a life beyond their own outside of the film as Simon and Garfunkel compositions. Only compositions as composed by the symphonic masters as John Williams can create a musical film experience that is permanently linked to the films such as Harry Potter and E.T.




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Thursday, December 30, 2010

2016 Olympics logo unveiled New Year's Eve in Rio

2016 Olympics logo unveiled New Year's Eve in Rio
(AP) – 3 hours ago

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The logo for the 2016 Olympics will be unveiled for the first time at Rio's traditional New Year's celebrations.

It will be shown just moments before the fireworks at Copacabana beach are set to go off at midnight on Friday. The logo will be projected on a huge screen on the sand.

Local officials and members of the International Olympic Committee will be at Copacabana to witness the event, along with nearly two million tourists and Rio residents expected for the New Year's Eve party at the famous beach, according to authorities.

Rio won the right in 2009 to host the 2016 Olympics, beating Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago. The Rio Games will be the first in South America.

Olympic organizers have said the Rio 2016 brand was created to reflect the city's culture and represent its natural wonders and joyful residents. They said the logo was designed based on four pillars: contagious energy, harmonious diversity, exuberant nature and Olympic spirit.

Nearly 140 agencies participated in the process to design the logo and only eight made it into the final phase. A multidisciplinary team of 15 national and international members of Rio 2016's organizing committee made the final decision a few months ago.

IOC President Jacques Rogge made his first visit to Rio since the Pan American Games in 2007. He's taking a close look at how the city has been preparing for the games.

He was expected to visit a local slum and construction sites of a tunnel and a subway line on Thursday. He helped lay the cornerstone for the future Olympic and Paralympic Village on Wednesday. He also was present at the signing of an agreement for the construction of the Olympic Park, where 19 facilities will be located.

Rogge said he's liked what he has seen so far. Local authorities and members of the IOC coordination commission have had planning sessions throughout the week.

"I see the preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is going extremely well," he said.

Rio Gov. Sergio Cabral said the lack of airport infrastructure remains the greatest obstacle in preparations for the games, but downplayed concerns it will remain a problem when the event begins in six years.

Rogge called for local authorities to avoid building venues that may not be of use after the games.

"The Olympic Games are an opportunity for a city, and even a continent, to think of its future," Rogge said.

Associated Writer Tales Azzoni in Sao Paulo contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

In NBC’s Shadow, Comcast Must Ponder Taking Olympic Plunge

In NBC’s Shadow, Comcast Must Ponder Taking Olympic Plunge
By RICHARD SANDOMIR
Does Comcast cherish the Olympics with the same fervor as did General Electric, which has paid billions to make NBC the network of the Summer and Winter Games for a generation?
The question arises because Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator, is close to regulatory approval to buy control of NBC Universal from G.E. in a deal valued at $30 billion — and because the Olympics are near-certain guarantees of prime-time dominance for 17 nights every two years.
As early as next spring, Comcast will face ESPN, Fox and a possible CBS-Turner Sports bid at the International Olympic Committee’s auction for the media rights to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“I don’t think Comcast wants its first move with its new partner to be a negative one and to lose something NBC has had for years,” said Barry Frank, an executive vice president of IMG who has negotiated Olympic deals in the past.
Comcast, which serves 22.9 million of the nation’s 100 million pay-television subscribers, according to SNL Kagan, has done little to tip its Olympic intentions. But it understands the impact of sports through its ownership of Versus, the Golf Channel, 11 regional sports networks, the Philadelphia Flyers and the 76ers.
And its chairman, Brian Roberts, who has won four silver medals and one gold in team squash at the Maccabiah Games, attended the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
But Comcast has reason to be cautious about plunging into Olympic economics, where the cost of buying media rights in the United States has soared almost without a dip since CBS paid $50,000 for the 1960 Winter Games in Squaw Valley, Calif.
NBC lost $223 million on the Vancouver Games because of the recession and the steep price it paid to carry them; the network could lose more on the 2012 Summer Games in London on its highest-ever $1.18 billion rights fee.
“They’re eager to show they can make money running NBC, and the Olympics may not be a way of doing it,” said Craig Moffett, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co.
The I.O.C.’s auction for the 2014 and ’16 rights, which has been delayed to avoid the worst of the recession, will test the networks’ desires to demonstrate financial prudence.
Jacques Rogge, the I.O.C. president, said recently that he wanted more than $2.2 billion, which G.E. paid for the 2010 and ’12 rights and for a global sponsorship — the latter an extra that Comcast, without international interests like G.E.’s, has no reason to buy. G.E. said in 2008 that its sponsorship was paying off with $700 million in contracts for 400 Olympic projects in and around Beijing.
Privately, the I.O.C. believes the Sochi-Rio media rights could be worth as much as $2.7 billion.
But, Moffett said, “It’s a stretch to imagine making money at $2 billion.”
Network executives say they believe that Sochi is less valuable than Vancouver (cost: $820 million) because of its relatively warm winter climate and that Rio should not bring as large a rights fee as a domestic Olympics would have in Chicago, one of the losing bidders in the election to host the 2016 Summer Games.
But Richard Carrion, the I.O.C. member handling the auction, said in an interview, “I think there are plenty of things to make Sochi an exciting place and Rio is a good summer site.”
Last month, Leslie Moonves, the president of CBS, mindful of NBC’s losses and what the I.O.C. is seeking, seemed to indicate he would bow out of the auction if he could not get a bargain.
“We don’t need to invest in something to lose money,” Moonves told an industry conference, “or just to help the prestige of the network. I think we’re already there.”
Despite its ability to acquire much of what it wants, ESPN has signaled that it will not be profligate in its Olympic bidding, which acts as a pre-auction brake on the I.O.C.’s optimism.
Last April, ESPN was outbid for the rights to the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament by the combined forces of CBS and Turner, which are paying $10.8 billion over 14 years. ESPN offered 10 percent less than CBS and Turner.
“The N.C.A.A. is instructive,” said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president for content. “We felt we had the best plan. I’m confident we’ll have an excellent Olympic plan, but, like the N.C.A.A., we expect to be aggressive and prudent.”
NBC and Comcast officials declined to comment.
Acquiring the rights to the Olympics is often a case of want, not need.
They provide 17 days of highly rated programming and blanket the Internet. But they lack the week-to-week power of N.F.L. games like those that NBC carries on Sunday nights, which is the network’s highest-rated program.
Dick Ebersol, who has run NBC’s sports division since 1989, adores the Olympics, produces them and would probably have left if another network had acquired them. He is part of the Olympic movement, was a close friend of the I.O.C.’s late president Juan Antonio Samaranch and is a recipient of the committee’s highest honor, the Olympic Order.
In two stealthy moves in 1995 — one of which came shortly after Fox Sports believed it had pre-empted NBC on the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia — Ebersol acquired the rights to the Olympics from 2000 to 2008. Then he outbid Fox by $700 million at the auction for the 2010 and ’12 rights, where ESPN offered only a plan to share revenues with the I.O.C.
Now, Ebersol’s sealed bids at the coming auction will be made with Comcast’s financial analysis and approval. The purse strings will be held by Roberts, not by Olympic-friendly G.E. chairmen like Jack Welch or Jeffrey Immelt. Instead of working for top NBC executives like Bob Wright or Jeff Zucker, Ebersol will report to Stephen B. Burke.
Wright, who as chairman and chief executive of NBC Universal was part of a small group that plotted the network’s extended era of Olympic domination, said that the economic projections that justify a bid can be undone by a bad economy years later, which occurred in Vancouver.
“I don’t think anybody at this stage thinks they have to have the Olympics to survive, or that the Olympics will change their business model in a significant way to take a big business risk,” said Wright, now an adviser to Lee Capital Partners. “So Comcast certainly doesn’t have to have the Olympics to make NBC Universal successful.”
But a rationale can be made for cash-rich Comcast to follow G.E.’s aggressive example. Analysts say that Comcast can help to monetize its rights fees by selling Olympic video-on-demand packages to its millions of broadband customers and that Olympic advertisers might flock to reach its millions of cable and broadband subscribers.
Comcast could raise Versus’s low profile by packing it with Olympic events like those that have been on NBC Universal-owned networks like USA, CNBC and MSNBC. With golf returning as an Olympic sport in 2016, the Golf Channel would carry the sport.
Putting the Olympics on Versus could also be a major step toward becoming a stronger rival to ESPN, especially if Comcast stocks it with cable rights to the N.F.L. (the league could create a new package out of expanding to an 18-game schedule), extends its N.H.L. deal and pursues a Major League Baseball contract.
“Comcast is buying NBC in large part to go out and beat up ESPN,” said Susan Crawford, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, who is writing a book about the Comcast-NBC Universal deal.
Skipper, of ESPN, said, “It’s not hard to see how Versus could be helpful to their bid.”
With the Olympics — and more — Versus could expand beyond its 75 million subscribers and raise the average 30-cents-a-subscriber fee it charges pay-TV operators . ESPN charges an industrywide high fee of about $4.50 but is not planning on trying to persuade operators to pay more if it buys the Olympic rights. ESPN intends to show everything live, even at Sochi time, an alteration to a policy begun at ABC and continued at NBC.
Crawford said that if Comcast made a strong challenge to ESPN, then “the foreclosure value of keeping ESPN out of the Olympics is higher than the market value of the Olympics.”
But if Comcast does not follow G.E. in making a blowout bid, it could cajole the I.O.C. to sell it the rights to four Olympics, not just Sochi and Rio, Crawford said.
At least one network has already asked to buy the four Games through 2020, according to two sports industry executives with different roles in the coming auction who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Carrion, of the I.O.C., said the organization would prefer not to let one company make a pre-emptive bid but that he would consider asking if the networks want to buy the rights to four Olympics through 2020 “because this is a long-term investment.”
Until the auction, the I.O.C. and the networks will joust publicly about what the next Olympic Games are worth. As G.E. proved by underwriting NBC’s ambitions, all it takes is one network to show the greatest desire for the Olympics to satisfy the I.O.C.
“Don’t underestimate them,” Wright said of the I.O.C. “They’re a very smart, savvy crowd.”


RubinMedia Consulting
Henry Jason Rubin
editing.production.engineering
2320 East Hampton Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719 USA
520.360-9181 Mobile
www.linkedin.com/pub/0/141/2a5
http://henryrubin.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post.html

From: Henry Rubin [mailto:HJ.Rubin@att.net]
Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 8:42 PM
Subject: Comcast /NBC News

Maybe you all have seen this article, I thought I would pass it along.
Henry


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ia720786bb43ba0b0dc456828d113f06d?pn=2

RubinMedia Consulting
Henry Jason Rubin
editing.production.engineering
2320 East Hampton Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719 USA
520.360-9181 Mobile
www.linkedin.com/pub/0/141/2a5
http://henryrubin.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post.html

Monday, December 27, 2010

Comcast-NBC merger could hinge on future of Internet video Dec 20, 2010 8:00 AM, By Michael Grotticelli

Comcast-NBC merger could hinge on future of Internet video
Dec 20, 2010 8:00 AM, By Michael Grotticelli


Regulators are considering a requirement that Comcast must make NBC’s broadcast and cable channels available to rival online providers at reasonable prices.
The future of Internet video has now become the dominant issue in whether the federal government approves the merger application of Comcast and NBC Universal.
Federal regulators, according to a report from the Associated Press, are now pushing for tough conditions to ensure that Comcast can’t hold back the growth of online video. The cable giant could do this by withholding content or pushing up prices for NBC programs at a time viewers are starting to turn to the Internet for viewing television programming.
The government is trying to extract concessions from Comcast in its bid for NBC that could determine whether customers can someday realistically drop their cable subscriptions and go online-only for their TV, the AP reported.
So far broadcasters and cable providers have moved online with caution, attempting not to hurt their current business models. Many television shows and movies have been blocked from the Internet. Others have been part of walled gardens that limit where and when viewers can watch online television.
Comcast has been resisting the efforts of federal regulators to ensure a choice of Internet access providers. The cable operator has argued that the efforts are unnecessary because NBC Universal only accounts for about 10 percent of television viewing and less than 10 percent of box office revenue in the United States.
Even so, Comcast is participating in an industry-wide program to limit online viewing of many popular shows to cable subscribers. NBC has joined other broadcast networks in blocking access to full episodes of its shows through Google TV software, which delivers Internet content to TV sets.
Until recently, online viewing had largely been limited to personal computers. Now, a variety of new devices are available that bring Internet video to television sets. The Apple TV and Roku set-top boxes, for example, serve as bridges to deliver online programs to the TV. Some high-end sets — among the best sellers this holiday season — connect directly to the Internet.
Cable companies worry that easy viewing of Internet video on TVs could lead customers to drop their monthly subscriptions in favor of low-cost online alternatives. Comcast’s 22.9 million cable subscribers pay an average of $71 per month for cable television.
Broadcasters are also afraid that Internet video will cannibalize revenue from television commercials, which are far more lucrative than online ads. They fear cable cancellations, too, because cable companies increasingly pay them per subscriber for the rights to carry stations on their lineups.
One rule regulators are considering would require Comcast to make NBC’s broadcast and cable channels available to rival online providers at reasonable prices. Under current rules, cable TV companies have to share programming they own with rivals such as satellite companies, but not Internet distributors.
Regulators could also prohibit Comcast from requiring a cable subscription to get online access to NBC Universal’s shows and movies. They are also considering whether to force Comcast to sell NBC’s 32 percent stake in the Internet video service Hulu.
Whatever is decided, the AP report said, the two sides are close to an agreement, which could pave the way for the FCC and the Justice Department to approve the deal imminently.
Comcast’s proposed $13.75 billion purchase of a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal would give the nation’s largest cable television company control over a major movie studio, Universal Studios, and some of the most-watched channels on television. The programming properties include the NBC network and Telemundo on broadcast TV and CNBC, Bravo and Oxygen channels on cable.

2012 Summer Olympics London

Two million people have signed up for tickets to the Olympics, the Standard has learned.

The milestone approached as Olympics chiefs finalised their strategy for selling £500 million of tickets for London 2012.

Organisers say they have been encouraged by the huge demand —and the fact that people are registering their interest across all 26 sports.

Some 1.95 million people have signed up for tickets which go on sale in March. On average, people have signed up for seven sports and half say they also want tickets for the Paralympics. About two thirds of ticketholders are expected to come from London and the South-East.

The Standard understands that organising committee Locog will cap the number of applications for high-demand events between four and eight per person per session in the majority of sports to boost the individual's chances of getting a ticket for prime events through the ballot.

However for lower-demand events such as the football tournament, for which there are one million tickets, it will be possible to make a group application so members of a club can travel and sit together.

Tickets will go on sale on 15 March — 500 days before the Games — for an initial 40 days.

Data gathered so far by Games chiefs suggests there will not be enough demand next year for all the tickets so there is likely to be a second and third wave of sales later in the year or early in 2012. By not releasing tickets too early, Locog hopes to minimise the chances of tickets falling into the hands of touts.

Organisers aim to raise £500 million, excluding VAT, from the sale of 8.8 million Olympic tickets. A poster campaign to register is running on buses and Tubes.

Locog commercial director Chris Townsend said: “When we launch the ticket application in March that window will be open for several weeks. It will give people time to download the application and plan their Games. We urge people to sign up because it takes time to look at all the 650 sessions of sport and the pricing options and take it all in.

“Logistically it takes time to get from one event to another and we need people to understand that.”

Games chiefs were today battling icy conditions before this evening's illumination of the Olympic stadium. Up to 2,000 people, including local schoolchildren, will witness the Prime Minister switching on the floodlights for the first time.

MultiCam Edit Avid Media Composer

Just completed a Jazz trio program, four cameras, Edited with multicam mode with Avid Media Composer. Very easy to use, lot of different options for selecting cameras in or out of sync.
Henry

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Avid Media Composer 5

Avid Media Composer 5 is a big hit for Avid. The download center is reaching critical mass.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

BIO RESUME CV 4 TELEVISION

Henry Rubin has been consulting in the broadcast industry for ten years. Some of Henry’s clients have included: NBC Olympics, Sony Electronics, Fox Broadcasting Company, Warner Brothers and CBS. Projects have ranged from high definition control room upgrades and master control station automation systems. Henry is also a Sony certified trainer and Avid ACSR engineer. Mr. Rubin also has a great deal of experience in training, editing, integration and installation on Avid and Final Cut Pro editing systems.

NBC Olympics
Henry has been an editor, edit supervisor and consultant for NBC Olympics since the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Henry’s areas of responsibility are Avid edit systems, Sony video switchers, Sony and EVS networked video servers and MPEG high definition video tape machines. Mr. Rubin has earned four national Emmy awards for his work for the 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games.

SONY Electronics
Henry is a Senior trainer, NAB demonstrator and instructor for SONY Electronics. Some of the products Henry has experience with are, XDCAM HD, XDCAM Meta transfer stations, HDCAM video tape machines, high definition video switchers, servers, editors and audio mixers.

RubinMedia Consulting
As a consultant, Henry has guided a number of television stations through there mandatory digital transition. Which has included implementing Avid edit and Unity storage systems, Sony high definition video switchers, Avid/Deko character generators, digital audio mixers, Sony cameras, Flip Factory and Niagra streaming video systems.
In addition, Henry has integrated Omneon and Harris video servers and Sundance/Avid master control automation systems. In 2005, Channel 12 in Tucson, digital transition was so successful it was awarded the coveted 2005 NATOA Station of the Year award.

Post-Production
Henry is an accomplished Avid and Online editor. Some of Henry’s clients have been:
The Discovery Channel, IBM, NBC Sports, PBS, Raytheon Missile Systems, Sony Corporation, U.S. Postal Service and Kenwood Communications.

Awards
National EMMY Awards, ADDY Awards, Telly Award, National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Paragon Award, National Council for Marketing and Public Relations Medallion Awards, IABC Gold Quill, Society of Technical Communications Award, International Film and TV Festival of New York Award, National Association of Telecommunications Officers & Advisors Award, PBS Promotion Awards

Education
Currently, Mr. Rubin is a graduate student at The New School of Social Research, in New York City.

Henry Jason Rubin
2320 East Hampton Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719, (520) 360-9189 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (520) 360-9189      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (520) 360-9189      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
(520) 322-8140, Business
HJ.Rubin@att.net

Professional Positions Broadcast Operations Manager
Edit Supervisor
Technical Manager
Senior Trainer

Employment History
2003-Present Center for Learning Technology
Broadcast Operation, Content Manager
Pima Community College Television
Tucson, Arizona

2002-2004 Edit Support
• 2004 Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
• 2003 NCAA National Basketball Championship, New Orleans, Louisiana
• 2003 Super Bowl XXVII, San Diego, California
• 2003 BCS Fiesta Bowl, Phoenix, Arizona
• 2003 Pro Bowl, Honolulu, Hawaii
• 2002 FIFA World Cup, Korea/Japan

2002 to Present Channel 12
Editor/Producer/Consultant
Tucson, Arizona

2000 to Present NBC Olympics, Editor/ Edit Supervisor
• 2000 Summer Olympics, Sydney, Australia
• 2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City, Utah
• 2004 Summer Olympics, Athens, Greece
• 2006 Winter Olympics, Turin, Italy
• 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing, China
• 2010 Winter Olympics Vancouver, Canada

1992 to Present Sony Corporation of America
Consultant/Instructor/Demonstrator

Education San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
Bachelors of Arts, Broadcast Communication Arts

The New School
Media Studies
Graduate Student Expected Graduation 2012

License
FCC General Class License

Certifications
Avid Certified Support Technician (ACSR)

Conference Presentations,
National Association of Broadcasters
2010 Sony Corporation, High Definition Video Switchers
2009 Sony Corporation, High Definition Edit Systems
2008 Sony Corporation, High Definition Edit Systems
2007 Sony Corporation, High Definition Edit Systems
2006 Sony Corporation, High Definition Switchers and Editors
2005 Sony Corporation, High Definition Switchers
2004 Sony Corporation, XPRI Non-Linear Editor, XDCAM Meta Station
2003 Sony Corporation,XPRI Non-Linear Editor, Gigabit LAN
2002 Sony Corporation, XPRI Non-Linear Editor, HD, 24P
2001 Sony Corporation, MAV 555 / 777 Live Sports Application
2000 Sony Corporation, MAV 555 / Live Graphic Application
1999 Sony Corporation, Clip Edit University, Presenter
1998 Sony Corporation, Betacam SX Editing Systems,
1997 Sony Corporation, ES 7 Editing Systems
1993 Abekas Corporation, A-51 DVE
1993 Sony Corporation, D2 Demonstration
1992 Sony Corporation, BVE 9100 Editing Systems,

Professional Awards
Emmy Award
Outstanding Technical Team-Studio
“The Games of the XXIX Olympiad”
NBC
Henry J. Rubin, Edit Supervisor

National Council for Marketing and Public Relations
Paragon Award
Bronze Paragon Award
Pima Community College
College Video Program
Henry J. Rubin, Edit Supervisor

NATOA Station of the Year Award
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers & Advisors (NATOA) named Tucson 12 as government station of the year. The award honors the station’s year-round variety of programming quality.
Tucson 12, The City Channel
Henry J. Rubin, Consultant, Editor and Producer

National Council for Marketing and Public Relations
The Medallion Awards
Bronze Medallion of Merit
Pima Community College
Video Advertisement
Henry J. Rubin, Editor and Producer

Emmy Award
Outstanding Technical Team-Studio
“The Games of the XXVIII Olympiad”
NBC
Henry J. Rubin, Edit Supervisor

Emmy Award
Outstanding Technical Team-Studio
“XIX Olympic Winter Games”
NBC
Henry J. Rubin, Edit Supervisor

Emmy Award
Outstanding Technical Team-Studio
“The Games of the XXVII Olympiad”
NBC
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

Tucson ADDY Awards
The ADDY Awards represent the true spirit of creative
excellence by recognizing all forms of advertising from
Media of all types, creative by all sizes and entrants of all levels from anywhere in the world.
Awarded for Excellence in Advertising.
Gold, Silver & Bronze Awards

KUAT –TV
PBS Television Self Promotion
Video Workshop, Production Company
Local and regional television commercials
Henry J. Rubin, Editor and Producer

IABC Gold Quill
Gold Quill Awards. Rewarding excellence. Recognizing the best. The Gold Quill Awards are the mark of global distinction and represent the highest level of professional acknowledgment within business communication today.
Video Workshop, Production Company
Promotional and Training Videos
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

Society of Technical Communications Awards
STC advances the theory and practice of technical communication across all user abilities and media so that both businesses and customers benefit from safe, appropriate, and effective use of products, information,
and services.
Video Workshop, Production Company
Marketing and Training Videos
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

Telly Awards
The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.
Long Beach Visitors and Convention Bureau
Litter Films
Video Workshop, Production Company
Promotional and Marketing Videos
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

International Film and TV Festival of New York Award
Finalist Award KUAT-TV
“Song for China”
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

PBS Promotion Awards
KUAT-TV
“Geronimo: The Final Campaign”
Television Self Promotion Videos
Henry J. Rubin, Editor

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Always Compete

In, Steve Bisheff non fiction work on Pete Carroll
Always Compete, points out Pete Carroll's Face Book Page, and other social networks he ascribes to. Carroll has a personal web/blogger. The first
for a NCAA Winning PAC-10 Football Coach.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Monk and the Portrayal of Mental Disorders in Television and Film

Monk and the Portrayal of Mental Disorders in Television and Film

The USA Network aired Monk, the television detective series based in San Francisco for eight seasons. Created by David Hoberman, Adrian Monk is a detective who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD) and is loosely based on Hoberman’s own battle with OCD (Behavioral Health). The goal of this work is to synthesize the context of the many social dimensions, concerning mental illness and psychological disorders that are representative in today’s television and film industry.

Adrian Monk is a fictional character since most patients who suffer from psychological disorders can’t function in society as well as he. Monk lives in an upper middle class Victorian flat in San Francisco. He has a private secretary who dotes over him and a therapist, who seems remarkably available considering Monk’s unreliable payment history. He is appreciated by the San Francisco Police Department for his Sherlock Holmes ability to solve murder cases.

In keeping with his OCD, his dress is always the same: sports coat, shirt starched and the top shirt button fastened. Monk is not like the men and women with physiological disorders who are untreated by today’s health system and who wonder the streets of San Francisco, looking like zombies from a George A. Romero film; dirty, smelly, unshaven, disoriented and uninsured (Romero).

Monk was very popular when it premiered on the USA Network on July 12, 2002. The series currently holds the record for the most-watched scripted drama episode in cable television history. It also set the record with Mr. Monk and the End – Part II, its series finale, with 9.4 million viewers; 3.2 million of them in the 18–49 demographic (Kung).

Mental Illness and Psychological Disorders have become an integral part of the media mainstream, including popular films as Rain Man (1988), The Fisher King (1991) and Forrest Gump (1994) (Smith).

There is also a precedent for films about mental illness and genius. Ron Howard’s film, A Beautiful Mind chronicles the life of John Forbes Nash Jr., a brilliant mathematician from Princeton who suffered from delusions, hallucinations and paranoid schizophrenia. Nash was saved from homelessness by his ex-wife and a small number of mathematical associates. At age 66 Nash had a remission from his mental illness and was nominated for a Noble prize in economics (Levinson). Similarly, Monk’s psychological issues do not hinder his crime solving abilities. His OCD flares up when he is shopping, dining and house cleaning. Clearly, this is not an honest view of mental illness, turning off and on your psychosis at will as is portrayed in Monk.

In Steve Lopez’s novel and major motion picture The Soloist: A Lost Dream, and Unlikely Friendship, Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless but once gifted Julliard cellist finds his home in a shopping cart, fighting off demons in downtown Los Angeles tunnels. Ayers lives in Skid Row and travels to Persian Square to pay homage to a statue of Ludwig van Beethoven. Ayer’s does not have a personal secretary and is a real life victim of schizophrenia (Lopez). But he does have a champion in Steve Lopez, a newspaper columnist who chronicles Ayer’s life in the Los Angeles Times.

According to Alicia Marie Oostdyk of Kent State University, mental illness is represented in today’s media as negative and violent (Oostdyk). This fits with Lopez’s portrayal of Ayers who does suffer from a severe case of mental illness. But Monk departs from the stereotype again since he’s clean, brilliant and dysfunctional in a non- threatening productive manner.

Current and past television programs have sent mixed messages concerning mental illness issues. Jamie Farr’s character in MASH, Max Klinger is a cross dresses with a fake case of mental illness. Klinger goes about his business in a number of stylish dresses so he can be discharged from the military on a Section 8. Section 8 referrers to a category of discharge from the United States military for reason of being mentally unfit for service. But the ongoing joke is that because he is able to fake his mental illness, than clearly he is not.

Law & Order, the NBC legal drama produced by Dick Wolf has produced a of number mental illness episodes in its 20 seasons. The story lines are “ripped from the headlines” and represent cases that may seem believable (Sassone). Kimberly Tyler of AnxietyConnection.com applauds Law & Order frankness in addressing the national debate on the treatment of mentally ill criminals in today’s criminal justice system. Should mentally ill patients be responsible for their actions and be sentenced to prisons to serve hard time or be rehabilitated in mental institutions (Tyler)? Tyler also suffers from depression and lists the medication she is prescribed on her website. Monk’s treatment for his mental afflictions does not include medication. If Monk was treated with Lorazepam or Prozac, his personality maybe more believable, but his character development may suffer under medication.

As an educational tool, episodic television maybe very helpful in explaining mental illness treatment. Glenn Gabbard, MD of Baylor College of Medicine and author of The Sopranos, believe Tony Soprano treatment for panic attacks in the Sopranos provided one of the best depictions of psychotherapy to ever appear on television (Kaplan). In someone ways Tony Soprano’s psychotherapy educated the public and desensitized the stereotypes of mental illness treatment. Dr. Charles Kroger, Monk’s psychiatrist for six season treats Monk in a causal style, talking, listening, offering advice and engaging in Adrian’s’ frustrating banter concerning the progress his is making in his therapy session. Monk’s sessions can be tiresome and rarely fit the realism that you find in Law & Order or the Sopranos.

The popularity of Monk maybe warranted by the acceptance of psychological disorders in today’s society. According to the Institute of Health a whopping 19 percent of the adult U.S. population has a mental disorder (NIH). This may have given Monk a bump in ratings, as the affected relate to the OCD detective. As David Hoberman the executive show producer explains it, “The idea was that a brilliant detective has severe OCD and phobias. That was the pitch. Without Monk’s OCD, there would be no show (Brink).


Citing

Brink, Susan. "Mental illness sans clichés". Los Angeles Times November 13, 2006:

"Epidemiology of Mental Illness". National Institute of Health. May, 15, 2010 .

"Filming locations for "Monk"". IMDb. 5/12/2101 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312172/locations

"George A. Romero". IMDb. May, 15, 2010 .

Gould, Jonathan. Can’t Buy Me Love, The Beatles, Britain, And America. New York: Harmony Books, 2007.

Kaplan, Arline. "Mental Illness on the Screen: No More Snake Pit". Psychiatric Times April 1, 2007: p1

Kung, Michelle. "“Monk” Finale Breaks Basic Cable Ratings Record". 2009-12-07. Wall Street Journal. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/12/07/monk-finale-breaks-basic-cable-ratings-record. May 6, 2010.

Levinson, Martin. "Reviews the book `A Beautiful Mind,' by Sylvia Nasar.". ETC: A Review of General Semantics; Fall98: p358-p359.

Lopez, Steve. The Soloist: A Lost Dream, and Unlikely Friendship. Putnam Adult, April 17, 2008.

"Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: On-Screen and Off". Behavioral Health. May, 13, 2010 .

Osstdyk, Alica. Portrayal of Mental Illness on Television A Review of the Literature. Pittsburg: University of Pittsburgh, 2008.

Smith, Claude J., Jr.. "Finding a Warm Place for Someone We Know: The Cultural Appeal of Recent Mental Patient and Asylum Films". Journal of Popular Film and Television Spring 1999: p40-p46.

Sossone, Bob. "Tonight's Law and Order: ripped from the headlines". AOL Inc.. May 20, 2010 .

Tyler, Kimberly. "Law & Order: SVU" Addresses the Stigma of Mental Illness". The HealthCentral Network, Inc.. May, 5, 2010 .

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Jumbotron

Abstract

At the 1985 World Science Expo in Tsukuba Science City, Japan, Sony Corporation exhibited the world’s largest television screen, the Jumbotron: Jumbo for big and tron for Sony’s Trinitron television line. This massive vacuum fluorescent display reached a height of 92 feet and could be seen as far as the surrounding country side (McGill). The introduction of the Jumbotron and other big screen displays has dramatically changed the way live events are watched including events as diverse as sporting events, presidential inaugural speeches and papal sermons. Does this oversized cathode ray tube enhance or hinder audience’s experiences at large gatherings? Does the gazing spectator expect to see every image magnified so their myopic lens can absorb and interpret the stream of real time imagery?

Description

Jerry Jones, the Texas Billionaire and owner of the Dallas Cowboys built a $1.2 billion dollar stadium (Lacayo). Included in this coliseum has been a 600-ton colossus Jumbotron. Why would Jerry Jones invest millions of dollars on a 160 ft. television screen, when the Dallas Cowboys has a franchise player like Tony Romo who every season as quarterback dazzles the spectators with sensational scrimmages? The fans want to see the real Tony Romo, not a blown up digitized image of Tony on the playing field. Some diehard fans go to football games to see football, not orchestrated, commercials, sponsors logos and public service announcements, they want to see the grid iron action, not marketing efforts by the national advertising agencies.

At St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City Pope Benedict XVI’s spoke to thousands of parishioners. As the Pope addressed the papal flock, two massive Jumbotrons beamed colorful images of the Pope from his summer residency 17 miles away (Kuhner). Does this modern day electronic technology beaming papal telecasts seem rather out of place and garish amongst the beautiful colonnades and 4000-year old obelisk at St. Peter’s Basilica? Is the Pope’s spiritual message being conveyed properly and with dignity at the holy shrine in Vatican City?

January 21, 2009 an historic event took place at our nation’s Capitol. Thousands of men and women from all races and creeds jammed the Mall to see the 44th President of the United States sworn into office. And like all huge public events, the Jumbotrons were present, beaming there LED glow across a sea of humanity, echoing “Yes We Can”. This Orwellian sensation was overwhelming. Is this the image the Obama administration wanted to convey -- Big Brother imagery of Barak Obama casting the newly elected presidential shadow over thousands of onlookers?

Rationale

This undertaking is to explain influences and ramifications that are behind large screen projection systems. What aspiring political figure or recording artist would not want their image plastered on a two story visual aid, with fans and political devotes swooning at every word and lyric amplified and enlarged to gigantic proportions?

Why is there an intrinsic need for audiences at public gatherings to be inundated by large television screens? Demophobia, the fear of crowds may be one reason. The reassuring projected images of presidents, rock stars and sports figures at public venues may calm the afflicted thru colorful two-dimensional visuals.

In general people may be freed from their own general anxiety, when exposed to gigantic glaring images of overpowering television screens. In the1939 version of the Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland’s character, Dorothy travels the yellow book road to ask the Wizard for passage back to Kansas. When Dorothy finally meets the Wizard, he is an oversized projection spewing smoke and steam. Suggesting that such a large and powerful image would grant Dorothy passage back to Kansas.

Other assumptions for large video displays are not deeply rooted in the psyche, but are purely monetary. The NHL and NBA charge between $25,000 to $75,000 a season for media packages (Catto).

Media professionals have a responsibility at these large events. What images does the director choose? Close-ups of people smiling? Women in low cut outfits? Two guys fighting over a beer? The kiss Cam? Media accountability is required to sustain crowd control and to pacify the audience into an alpha state of calm.

Sony Corporation has installed several Jumbotron systems around the country at universities and sport arenas. I have been hired as a consultant to help plan and execute training at these institutions and it was apparent at each installation there were power struggles and creative disagreements within the departments that were managing these venues.

Literature Review

In existing work, research is not available for in-depth documentation on audience’s perceptions, feelings, behaviors and expectations on Jumbotron viewing at sporting events and public places. Opinions were expressed concerning stadium experiences with and without the Jumbotrons, but there was an absence of concrete information and quantifiable research on the subject matter of the big screens influence on audiences and pedestrians.

Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don’t Bother.

In this jewel of an article, the Chicagoist spells out exactly why high-definition screens are not needed. Wrigley field has been host to baseball since 1916 and has done quite well without the behemoth video-screen. The fans don’t miss the Kiss Cam, instant replays and marriage proposals (Zaslow). The Jumbotron in this historic stadium would feel gaudy and out of place. Babe Ruth’s memory would be stained with the shadow of this LED behemoth lurking over right field. Baseball at Wrigley field is different since it regards the sport as more than an entrainment experience, but as a living history of an American pastime.

Communicating Love: Friendship in the Technological Age

DeSales University sponsored a writing contest promoting new technologies, relationships and respect. Matthew Kuhner, an honors student and philosophy major, won the “best student essay” of 2009. Kuhner’s article emphasizes the Vatican’s understanding of technology in evangelism and finding fresh ways to fulfill Christ’s mission (Kuhner). Kuhner understands to help spread the gospel and the Pope’s message at St. Peter’s Basilica they needed two gigantic Jumbotrons to accomplish that. The church accepts that they are not a perfect aesthetic fit at St. Peter Square, but the Jumbotrons communicate the Pope’s message in a grand visual style, which brings comfort to his flock.

Troops Bid Bush Farwell at Andrews Air Force Base

The Jumbotron was strategically placed in the hanger at Andrews Air Force base where 4,000 service man and women watched the inaugural ceremonies of President Barak Obama being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. Then through the lens of network news cameras, George W. Bush lifted of the Capitol grounds aboard the Marine Corps VH-60 helicopter (Agency Group 9). The crowd cheered as the former president entered the hanger at Andrews Air Force base. Children climbed on parents’ shoulders to catch a better glimpse of the outgoing president (Agency Group 9). In this article by the Regulatory Intelligence Database, the crowd was not entirely enthusiastic when President Obama was sworn into office, but when Mr. Bush arrived the mood of the audience drastically changed to yips and yelps. The Jumbotron impact at this event was a reflection of the crowd’s mood and temperament toward the incoming president and the author’s bias for the Bush Administration.

George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster

14 blocks from the Nations Capitol Robert Parry and his son Jeff watched the inaugural proceedings on one of the many Jumbotrons set up around the white marble buildings surrounding the Capitol. The mood at this big screen viewing was festive and mocking of the Bush Administration, one group started singing, “Hit the road, Jack” when Dick Cheney was wheeled into the television cameras view (Parry). Parry felt at this viewing there was more joy and cheering when President Obama was sworn into office than the January 20th 2001 swearing in of President Bush.

1.8 million people braved the cold that wintery morning, without a single inaugural police-related arrest. There were cheers of yips and yelps, at the Jumbotron, but this time for the incoming president, not the outgoing one.

Robert Parry is an award winning recipient of the George Polk Award, of the Iran-Contra affair. Parry has also written several books criticizing the George W. Bush administration.

Jumbo Dreams

Jack Jones a writer for Sports Illustrated examines the history and popularity of the Jumbotron (The Jumbotron is a generic term for large video screen installations).

According to Jones, the first giant glittering scoreboard can be traced to the Diamond Vision system by Mitsubishi installed at Dodger Stadium in 1980. Now virtually every pro and college athletic venue has bowed to the consumer demand for the big screen (Jones). Jones feels the Jumbotron is made for football, with its hail Mary passes, high fives, cheer leaders and Roman pageantry. Even the players use the giant screen to their advantage, checking where potential opponents are located on the playing field. The players also use the Jumbotron as the 13th man says New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, pumping us up during the game.

There are rules using the Jumbotron, for instance “the home team must use discretion in showing replays that could cause strong fan reaction” as stated in the NFL game operations manual. The video director of the large screen television feed cannot show the referees missed the penalty of the opposing team over and over again.

Jones recognizes Jumbotron viewing is a technology in flux, the new video apparatus may be 3-D LED screens or portable hand held devices that allow the spectator to choose the video feeds from the stadium (Anadpura). As the former Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm as quoted as saying, “We are not selling football games, we are selling events, we have to have pageantry, excitement and crowds.”

From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City

Roy Stickland writes a Blade Runneresque narrative of public spaces blitzkrieg by PC screens to Jumbotrons and a never ending stream of words, images and sounds challenges of place (Strickland). Shinjuku, Japan or Times Square in New York City are examples of artificial environments that distract from the natural order. Strickland believes the cacophony and collision of media in Times Square are just options for creative expressions, learning and commercialism. The “cool media” environment helps to shape the Jumbotron experience, but Times Square may overwhelm the messages from the latest Jumbotron commercial, drowning out the video at the New York Times Building. In the ancient port city of Ostia, near Rome, mosaics lined the city walls and floors. These mosaics were forms of advertisements, advertising services, merchants and local restaurants. With hundreds of pedestrians strolling the ancient streets of Ostia, those Romans probably felt the discord and tension staring at the garish mosaic advertisements, similar to the feelings that arise from tourist from Kansas, who are visiting Time Square for the first time.

Methodology / Research

The consortium of research will focus on extensive interviews, examining cost benefit analysis, return on investment and quantifiable objectives of the social impact of the big screen. Extensive phone and in person interviews with associated research and analysis will focus on the impact of the Jumbotron, on the game, the players and the fans. In public spaces interviews will be conducted with pedestrians, social and public art activists, city officials, advertisers and marketing officials.

Informal conversational interviews and general interview guide approach will be used to collect data on Jumbotron viewing. Types of questions to be asked will need to be analyzed for effectiveness. Behaviors, opinions, feelings and knowledge need to be taken into account before samples questions are used. Standardized, open-ended interview and closed, fixed-response interview techniques will be used to assure accuracy in sampling (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).

Interviews with respondents will be audio taped to insure accuracy. Questions will be asked one at a time, interviewers will remain neutral. (Shrivastava/Valenzuela).

These are some examples of questions to be asked.

Do you see the benefit of the Jumbotron screen in this stadium?

Do you find the Jumbotron screen a distraction watching this event?

Do you find you watch the Jumbotron screen more than the playing field?

Do you pay attention to the commercials on the Jumbotron screen?

When you do watch the Jumbotron screen, what do you find yourself watching?

Do you always watch the replays on the Jumbotron screen?

As a player do you watch the Jumbotron screen?

As a player, do you think about doing something fancy on the playing field to be shown later on a highlight reel on the Jumbotron?

As a coach do you watch in Jumbotron screen?

The interview process would include the following subjects and locations:

1. Location: University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona. Wildcats (Football)

Respondents: Athletic Director, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, University President, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Team Clubs, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.

2. Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Diamondbacks (Baseball)

Respondents: General Manager, Marketing Managers, Advertising Agencies, Ticket Holders, Television Production Crew, Advertisers, Team Sponsors, Coaches and Players.

3. Location: The Northern Liberties Jumbotron, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Respondents: Advertising Agencies, Pedestrians, Commerce Partners, Merchants,

4. Location: Daktronics, Brookings, South Dakota, Manufacture.

Respondents: President, Marketing Manager.

After the interview process is completed interpreting the data will become an important factor in the accuracy of the information received. Respondent’s answers will need to be transcribed from previous audio recordings. The information will be codified and collated and arguments will be explored and researched against existing material.

Bibliography

Agency Group 09, "Troops Bid Bush Farewell at Andrews Air Force Base". FDCH Regulatory Intelligence Database. April, 24, 2010 .

Anandpura , Atul. "Video Display Device and Method for Video Display From Multiple Angles Each Relevant To the Real Time Position Of A User". United States Patent Application Publication Feb, 14, 2008: p1-p5.

Catto, Susan. "Mobile's goodwill potential". Marketing Magazine 11/12/2007: p7.

Daniels, Chris. "Racing for Eyeballs". Marketing Magazine 12/10/2007: p45-p48.

Elliott, Sturat "Sony's Times Square Jumbotron has begun to attract advertisers". The New York Times August 31, 1993: p 18.

"Jumbotron At Wrigley? Don't Bother". Chicagoist. April/20/2010 .

Kuhner, Matthew. "Communicating Love: Friendship in the Technological Age". The Salesian Center. April, 20, 2010 .

Lacayo, Richard. "How' Bout That Stadium?". Time 9/28/09: p52.

McCallum , Jack. "Jumbo Dream". Sports Illustrated 1/26/2009: p56-p62.

McGill, Peter. "A high-tech world of wonders in Japan". Maclean's March 18, 1985: p40-p41.

Parry, Robert. "George W. Bush’s Sci-Fi Disaster". consortiumnews.com. April 15, 2010 .

Popik, Barry. "Jumbotron". The Big Apple. April, 21, 2010 .

Robles, Erica Ann. "Exurban Sublime: The Crystal Cathedral of Orange County". Department of Communication Stanford University p50-p54.

Stanley, Alessandra. "A Day Best Captured By Image, Not Narrative". The New York Times January 21, 2009: Pg.6.

Stirckland, Roy. "From Tiles to Pixels: Media and the City". Places 12-31-2006: p4-p5.

"Twins Rally". TV Technology. 4/19/2010 .

Valenzuela, Dapzury. Shrivastava, Pallavi "Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research". Arizona State University. May, 4, 2010 .

Zaslow, Jeffrey. "Moving On: Love and the Jumbotron: Why Men Turn Marriage Proposals Into Public Events". The Wall Street Journal August 4, 2005: pg. D.1.