Gum Leaf Mafia in Australian Productions - Assignment Example

Online Postings Week 3 What do scholars and commentators suggest may be the impact of distracted multi-taskers on the consumption of content? What might this mean for Australian content producers? There are several things which scholars and commentators suggest may be the impact of distracted multi-taskers on the consumption of content. To begin with, many commentators and scholars have pointed out that the current audience has been affected by limited concentration spans and inability to deal with complexity in the material consumed (Friend 2013). Many individuals who consume media content pay less emphasis on what is actually being consumed. Because of this, today’s listening and watching is more likely to be done in such a manner that the content contained in the material is missed. In the same way, distracted multi-taskers have an impact on the consumption of content by reducing emphasis on what is being watched. Majority of individuals who consume media content are likely to do so while at the same time engaging in different other activities (Ofcom 2013, p. 34). What this means is that with decreased concentration spans, there is need for all stakeholders in the industry to re-examine several important questions like what is being watched, with whom and where. Another impact is that the consumption of media content has been transformed into a long process of different events. In this process, the moment by which user of content pay attention is only part of the entire process. In general, consumption of media content nowadays entails different activities that consumers are able to switch attention between where they are, what they are watching and what they are also thinking about. The impact of distracted multi-taskers on the consumption of content means a lot for Australian producers. This can be demonstrated in several ways. For instance, by understanding the impact of this on media consumption, producers will be able to generate the right content for their audiences. What this means is that by understanding how multi-tasking varies with the gender and age of the consumers, producers of local content will be able to generate the right content for their audiences. By extension, when producers generate the right content for their audiences, advertisers will be able to target their messages to the right audiences, thus helping both industries survive (Special Broadcasting Service 2011, p. 1). Apart from this, understanding the impact of multitasking on consumption of content provides information on how exactly consumers multitask, the pressures that they face and the issues that interact to determine the entire process. Using this information, producers of local content will determine whether the local audience is inclined towards irrelevant content or not. References Friend, A. 2013, ‘Week 3: Review of the Tension between Economic and Cultural Incentives’, PowerPoint, BCM330. Accessed at: https://moodle.uowplatform.edu.au/pluginfile.php/147891/mod_resource/content/1/BCM330Wk3_13_14.pdf (29 January 2014). Ofcom 2013, ‘Communications Market Report 2013’. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&ved=0CHQQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstakeholders.ofcom.org.uk%2Fbinaries%2Fresearch%2Fcmr%2Fcmr13%2F2013_UK_CMR.pdf&ei=Xh7qUuqiEOiY4gSLnoHAAg&usg=AFQjCNG_eT_yTy2WVcdX4IQWe7uRNkcB0Q&sig2=4k4Zk5Xj4TTURlixgClIpg&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGE (29 January 2014). Special Broadcasting Service 2011, ‘Australian and Local Content’, Discussion Paper Submitted to the Convergence Review. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CE8QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.archive.dbcde.gov.au%2F__data%2Fassets%2Fpdf_file%2F0020%2F143318%2FSBS_-_Australian_and_Local_Content.pdf&ei=9BvqUq6JJ4TV4wSA-IDAAw&usg=AFQjCNGmoVhqU1dJRu1OR-C1Vf3wBOlQFA&sig2=QMkIRnwzbgc5h3KWwiAFkA&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGE (29 January 2014). Week 5 What are some problems with using the 'gum leaf mafia' in Australian productions? What might be an alternative? Give examples. The gum leaf mafia refers to a group of early film actors who migrated to the United States to make an impact in the then budding Hollywood film industry (Delamoir 2004). After making their impact in Hollywood, many of these actors decided to return to Australia to participate in the rapidly developing film industry. It is understand that although not all of them made it to leading roles in the then leading films of the time, their overall contribution to film development both in the United States and in Australia remains remarkable (Lusetich 2007). Although these individuals can be successfully used in the local productions, their inclusion comes with several problems. These are outlined as follows. One problem that comes with incorporating the gum mafia in local productions is how to make them fit in productions that are meant to portray local content to the entire world. It has been the policy of the Australian government though the Australian Film Corporation, to promote the production of films that portrays purely Australian content in the global market (French 2001, p. 7). What this means is that in producing such films, there is need for both the content and the cast to reflect Australian culture. Whereas members of the gum mafia are Australian, their exposure in Hollywood may have eroded their typical Australian accent. Their use in films that are meant to portray Australian culture on the global stage is limited by this. Another problem arises when one considers the relationship between Hollywood and the Australian film industry. It has been observed that there is a close cultural connection between the two industries since the times of the beginning of the gum leaf mafia (Delamoir 2004). This connection was epitomised by exchange of personnel between the two countries in the film industry. Although this underlies the effect of globalisation, using the gum leaf mafia in local productions brings to the fore the issue of cost and employment for local talent. Since the country is currently having a lot of local talent in the form of actors, producers and other critical staff, incorporating the gum mafia in local productions exposes this local talent to unnecessary competition. Apart from localism and the need for national pride in local film productions, using the gum leaf mafia in local productions brings to question the issue of costs of production. Compared to local talent, members of gum leaf mafia are likely to prove costly in terms of wages. What this means is that compared to films that incorporate fully local talent, incorporating members of the gum leaf mafia in local productions is likely to increase the production costs for the films. References Delamoir, J 2004, ‘The First Gum-Leaf Mafia: Australians in Hollywood 1915–1925’, Screening the Past. Accessed at: http://tlweb.latrobe.edu.au/humanities/screeningthepast/firstrelease/fr_16/jdfr16.html (30 January 2014). French, L 2001, ‘Patterns of Production and Policy: The Australian Film Industry in the 1990s’. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&ved=0CGwQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fresearchbank.rmit.edu.au%2Feserv%2Frmit%3A3682%2Ff2006003531.pdf&ei=HE_rUqXAHqbpywPdsYLgCQ&usg=AFQjCNGqkJXezdZJDwOzvP1wO586d8BGqg&sig2=UoUFjqPWXD4_ka1rGSJ2HQ&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGQ (31 January 2014). Lusetich, R 2007, ‘The gumleaf mafia’, The Australian, December 31 2007. Accessed at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/gumleaf-mafia/story-e6frg6z6-1111115216837 (31 January 2014). Week 6 What is the benefit of runaway productions for Australian film? Runaway production has been in existence since the beginning of 1940s (McDonald 2007, p. 900). This is when the phenomenon had gained much attention in leading film industries across the world, being led by Hollywood. It refers to films that have been conceptualised in the country but the actual process of filming takes place in a different country (McDonald 2007, p. 901). Are there any benefits that the local film industry in particular and the entire Australian society in general can derive from increased runaway productions? If so, how will this be? Yes, there are several ways in which runaway productions can be of benefit to the local industry. To begin with, runaway productions are directly related to promoting Australia as a tourist attraction. When filming is done in different locations of the country, these locations as well as the geographic features captured in the films act as a way of advertising the country to the outside world. In essence, this has been the strategy of the country’s film industry: to use film and other media content as a way of promoting the image of the country to the outside world (Croy & Walker 2005, p. 119). As such, regions such as the Illawarra and others can be positively portrayed in film thus promoting them as tourist attractions. Also, encouraging runaway productions can be an effective way of bringing broader economic activity to the sites where shooting and post production activities take place (AusFilm 2014. This means that when the government encourages runaway productions in the country, this is an indirect way of spurring economic activity in different areas of the country where the production process for the films is carried out. As such, the regions as well as the country at large derive social and economic benefits from the process. The Australian government works to encourage runaway production in the country as a way of creating employment opportunities for Australian cast and crew. For Hollywood productions, rising production costs in the United States are the main reason for many films being produced in different countries. Since Australia offers lower production costs in terms of labour and other expenses, promoting production of films in the country is a way of finding jobs for local talent in film production (Harley 2013, p. 10). Apart from presenting opportunities for local talent, encouraging runaway production in the country is a way of marketing the country as the right location for innovative industries. References AusFilm 2014, ‘Why film in Australia’. Accessed at: http://www.ausfilm.com.au/ (30 January 2014). Croy, W G & Walker, R D 2005, ‘Rural tourism and film: issues for strategic rural development’, in, Hall, D, Roberts, L & Mitchel, M (Eds) 2005, New Directions in Tourism, pp. 115 – 136. Ashgate Publishing Limited, Burlington. Harley, R 2013, ‘The power of Australian film’, Address to the 370 South, Melbourne International Film Festival. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&ved=0CGMQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.screenaustralia.gov.au%2Fgetmedia%2Ff16bccf4-8081-4ee8-9faf-b63f8f827395%2FRuthHarley_MIFF13.pdf&ei=WyDqUoP1B8aj4gTO9IDQBA&usg=AFQjCNHU0Ym2qYG6etxeN0QQFAa4Umm6bQ&sig2=isTgsN-TVprDUdRmtLmikg&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGE (30 January 2014). McDonald, A 2007, ‘Through the Looking Glass: Runaway Productions and Hollywood Economics’, Journal of Labour and Employment Law, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 879–949. Accessed at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.law.upenn.edu%2Fjournals%2Fjbl%2Farticles%2Fvolume9%2Fissue4%2FMcDonald9U.Pa.J.Lab.%2526Emp.L.879%282007%29.pdf&ei=byXqUuT9J6aY4wSfq4C4DA&usg=AFQjCNEOiVHAt8vOB4k3os2ZXdt59qqPFQ&sig2=8dzyDJjOhkeq9YB5Yu1KTw&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGE (29 January 2014). Week 7 Co-production is “a necessary form of film financing (which) can turn into the production of symbol systems that contribute to the fostering of both cultural pluralism and international unity and understanding” (Jackel 96). Do you agree? Use a recent example of an Australian co-production. I agree with the observations of Jackel that co-production is “a necessary form of film financing (which) can turn into the production of symbol systems that contribute to the fostering of both cultural pluralism and international unity and understanding”. This is because of the following reasons. To begin with, the fact that coproduction enhances cultural exchanges between the countries involved is represented by the provisions of the memorandum of understanding that is usually signed by the countries willing to be part of such an arrangement (McFadyen, Hoskins & Finn 1998). This means that media content produced under such an arrangement is a sure way of encouraging cultural exchange between the countries involved. This takes place in the forms of the cultural heritage that is tapped into during the production process as well as the depiction of different cultures in the final product. Another reason as to why this statement is true regards to the effect of coproduction on the status of the media content produced. Essentially, content that has been produced under this arrangement achieves a domestic or national status in each of the countries that are under the arrangement (Screen Australia 2014). When films and other productions are regarded under this status, the benefits are immense. For instance, such films can access different markets and audiences which would otherwise have been inaccessible as a result of censorship laws in different countries. The second benefit is that productions which are regarded as national can generate increased revenues in relatively smaller markets. What this means is that by using coproduction arrangements, the commercial and cultural value of films is promoted in both countries that are covered by the arrangement. This is true for films, television programmes and other media productions. An example is ‘Bright Star’, which is an Australian/British co- produced film that depicts the last years in the life of John Keats (AusFilm 2014). By using co-production arrangements between the United Kingdom and Australia, the producers of the film took advantage of commercial and cultural incentives between the two countries to enhance the ultimate value of the production (Screen Australia 2014). Also, co-production is important in promoting cultural diversity between the countries that are involved by reducing the cultural distance between the two countries (Selznick 2008, p. 133). What this means is that for countries that are culturally different, co-production provides an opportunity for the countries to access the different values held by other. This way, the cultural gap that existed between the two countries is filled through the process of co-production. References AusFilm 2014, ‘The producer offset and co-production treaties’. Accessed at: http://www.ausfilm.com.au/why-film-in-australia/financial-incentives/the-producer-offset-and-co-production-treaties/ (29 January 2014). McFadyen, S, Hoskins, C & Finn, A 1998, ‘The Effect of Cultural Differences on the International Co-production of Television Programs and Feature Films’, Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 23, no. 4. Accessed at: http://www.cjc-online.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/1063/969 (29 January 2014). Screen Australia 2014, ‘Co-Pro Programme’. Accessed at: http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/coproductions/default.aspx (30 January 2014). Selznick, J B 2008, Global Television: Co-producing Culture, Temple University Press, Philadelphia. Week 8 Discuss the importance of free trade agreements and global cultural diversity on the Australian film industry. Free trade agreements refer to different legal agreements undertaken by different countries to guide trade between them. Essentially, countries enter into such legal arrangements as a way of enhancing the terms of trade between them, thus resulting to mutual benefit for both countries (USITC 2004, p. 9). Australia has entered into several free trade agreements with different countries in the world. In all these agreements, the main objective that the Australian government has sought has been to ensure that the cultural and social objectives of Australia are taken care of in these agreements (Dalton 2004, p. 2). There are several ways in which foreign trade agreements and global cultural diversity are significant to the Australian film industry. These are outlined as follows. One, there has been a general trend in the world of countries liberalizing their cultural segments (Dalton 2004, p. 4). Many governments have sought to open up their film industries to global market forces as well as reducing their participation in film production in their countries. For Australia, this trend has been indicated by the Australian Film Corporation entering into free trade agreements with different countries. Two, following the Free Trade Agreements in the film industry, there has been a general decline in the performance of the domestic film industries in different countries (Jin 2011, p. 254). What this means is that opening up the film market to Hollywood and other productions leads to a decline in productivity of domestic film industries. Three, free trade agreements result into the decline of cinema audiences in general. Through neoliberal globalisation policies, the domestic film industries of the countries participating are exposed to the screen quota system. Under such an arrangement, domestic film industries are faced with the danger of total collapse if the government agrees to reduce the screen quota in favour of audio – visual content from other countries. In Australia the domestic film industry has been slowed down following the impact of Free Trade Agreements with the United States government. This has been so because of two main reasons: one the agreement by the Australian government to cap domestic television quotas and limiting the amount of money that is offered to cable and pay TV stations to produce local content (Flew, T & Gilmour, C 2010, p. 178). Another effect of free trade agreements and global cultural diversity on the local film industry is that the local authorities have lost the power to fully regulate the industry. This is because the agreements are composed of specific reservations against measures that seek to support the local audio visual industry (Jin 2011, p. 658). What this means for the local industry is that although local production is not completely retrained, the government of Australia is obliged to exempt united states companies operating in these industries. This means that the market remains relatively open for productions from the United States. References Dalton, K 2004 ‘Cultural impacts of the Aust/US Free Trade Agreement’. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fafcarchive.screenaustralia.gov.au%2Fdownloads%2Fpolicies%2Fapec_kd_final_web.pdf&ei=323rUojYFMuIyAOehoCwCQ&usg=AFQjCNHrJ-b04br3Z85boYbhnMsip64BjQ&sig2=wxB6Cgirz7BJQP3mt4ErWQ&bvm=bv.60444564,d.bGQ (31 January 2014). Flew, T & Gilmour, C 2010, ‘Television and pay TV’, in Cunningham, S & Turner, G (eds), The Media and Communications in Australia, pp. 175–192, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest. Jin, D Y 2011, ‘A critical analysis of US cultural policy in the global film market: nation states and FTAs’, The International Communication Gazzette, vol. 73, no. 8, pp. 651–669. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CCUQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpages.cmns.sfu.ca%2Fdal_yong_jin%2Ffiles%2F2012%2F01%2Fgazette-us-cultural-policy.pdf&ei=MlrrUuyELeaCyQO3_4GoDA&usg=AFQjCNFUtPCoEt4lQxmxlL01tGlEo4XkYQ (31 January 2014). USITC 2004, US-Australia Free Trade Agreements: Potential Economywide and Selected Sectoral Effects, United States International Trade Commission, Washington. Critical Reflection 1. What change do you see in the nature and quality of the online posts that you wrote over the summer? Why do you think this is? There are several changes which can be seen in the nature and quality of the online posts that I have written over the summer. For instance, there has been a general improvement in the posts in terms of quality. What this means is that compared to the earlier posts, the current posts show a marked improvement in the quality of the material presented. In my understanding, these changes in nature and quality of postings are a result of overall improvement in my mastery of the content. I think that with time, my understanding of the content of the subject on one hand and the usage of online groups on the other has been improving. 2. What change did you see in the nature and quality of the group’s engagement with each other, and what part did you play in this? Concerning the nature and quality of group’s engagement, there are several changes which I observed. For instance, there has been an increase in the degree of trust and relationship between members of the group. Through constant communication and sharing information, members have learnt a lot from each other as well as developed interpersonal relationships. I think that these changes are part of the social exchange process that takes place in all learning groups (Loh & Smith 2010). Through sharing of information, a sense of team work and social exchange is created in the members. This builds their confidence and sense of responsibility towards the activities of the group. Also, there has been a considerable increase in flexibility and overall efficiency in the activities of the group. I think that this has been as a result of increased participation by all members of the group. My role in this has been to interact with different individuals and share different information with them. This way, I have contributed to the overall success of the group. Also, my participation has been of personal benefit in that I have gained considerable exposure to a wide range of material and opinion regarding different issues. 3. Looking back at your participation through the subject, what surprised you the most about yourself? When I look back at my participation, one thing that has surprised me a lot has been the extent to which I have participated in the discussions going on in the forum. Since the beginning of the course, my contribution in the forum has been good. What this means to me is that my mastery of how virtual groups can be used on online platforms has been enhanced. Another issue regards how my active participation in the group forum contributed to a rapid increase in knowledge. Although I have had a good understanding of the subject matter of the course, the depth and insight that I gained from participation in the forum was a surprise to me. Another thing that surprised me is the efficiency of the group in sharing information. What surprised me most was the fact that I was able to play my roles in the group with great ease and efficiency. I think that this success can be attributed to the overall efficiency of the group as a whole. 4. What was the most helpful thing that anyone else did for you? Although there are several useful things that other members did to me, one important thing that someone did for me was when another member offered positive criticism on my work. In general, positive criticism is important, particularly when it comes from a peer. Since this happened on several occasions, its importance on building my overall understanding of the subject as well as use of virtual groups cannot be emphasized. Another thing is that I found it totally gratifying when other group members valued my opinion and contribution to the discussions that were taking place on the forum. This created in me a sense of empathy and self awareness. Lastly, I found the support system very helpful. This was helpful not only in terms of facilitating communication among group members but also in providing overall coordination of the entire activities of the group. 5. What was the most helpful thing that you did for anyone else? In the same way, there are many things which I did for others that I consider very helpful. For instance, by offering what I call positive criticism on the work of other members, I think that I helped them avoid many errors in their work. This way, I think that I played a positive role in overall improvement and learning of the members. Another thing which I did to individuals that I consider was helpful to them was providing important resources to members who are in need of them. Although there are many resources on the site that are accessible to members, there is always need to find new materials that may be used in individuals’ research. On the many occasions in which I satisfied this need for different members in the group, I considered this as the most helpful thing that I did for the group. 6. Where do you have most room to improve as a virtual team contributor? There are several areas in which I need to improve as a contributor in a virtual team. These are listed as follows. One, there is need to improve on my speed in making contributions on the platform. This is so because using such forums generally takes much time and effort (Goold, Craig & Coldwell 2008, p. 346). As such, speed and efficient use of time is an important area that I need to improve on in order to benefit fully from the forum. Another area in which there is much room for improvement regards general communication skills that are required for efficient participation in an online group discussion. In general, I need to improve on how I interact with different individuals from diverse backgrounds. By this, I mean that all members of virtual groups need to understand the importance of polite language, respect to different opinions and overall courtesy when participating in the activities of the group. This is important since the way I interact with different individuals on the forum determines my overall performance in the activities of the group. The last area that is in need of improvement is the general bias towards accepting the opinion of a few members who are active in the group as what is actually required. Although this may not necessarily be a big problem, I think that I need to develop my critical faculties to judge individuals’ opinions correctly. 7. Finally, name one person whose contribution changed something that you thought in the course of completing this subject. References Goold, A, Craig, A & Coldwell, J 2008, ‘The student experience of working in teams online’, Paper presented at the Ascillite Melbourne Conference, 2008. Accessed at: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CEAQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ascilite.org.au%2Fconferences%2Fmelbourne08%2Fprocs%2Fgoold.pdf&ei=RoTrUvzjMePMygOh5IDACg&usg=AFQjCNGuzrcML616YEgeRHOX-_lBt69G3A&bvm=bv.60444564,d.Yms (31 January 2014). Loh, J & Smyth, R 2010, ‘Understanding students’ online learning experience in virtual teams’, Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, vol. 6, no. 2. Accessed at: http://jolt.merlot.org/vol6no2/loh_0610.htm (31 January 2014). Read More