Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Development Of Local Malay Films Media Essay

The Development Of Local Malay Films Media Essay Last month, president to the National Film Development Corporation, Ahmad Puad Onah, said that the association would propose that ticket prices for Hollywood-produced movies be increased to RM20! This is supposed to help the local film producers become more competitive. However it is sad that these people really have they not learned anything from the Proton story yet. This suggestion is a really shallow idea and it will not help local films be more competitive against foreign movies. In fact, this will have an opposite effect. Local film producers should become more competitive. These days. So the question is, why arent Malaysians watching local movies? Think about it. What are the demographics that show people who actually go and watch movies? Can a middle income family with 4-5 kids afford to watch movies priced at RM8-12 per ticket? Four kids plus mom and dad will cost the family (RM10 x 6) RM60. Add the parking ticket, and snacks and it will cost at least RM100 just for an afternoon of movie-watching. So if these people want to watch a movie, what do they do? You guessed it. Buy an illegal DVD at RM7 per disc and the whole family can watch it over and over again. So solution No.1 is to enforce the law against illegal DVD sales. This although it would put a dent in the coffers of those authorities and VIPs who are taking bribes from this industry. So, who then will go to the cine-plexes? I would have to say that it would be couples or young people out with their friends right?!? However these people have a limited budget as well. If they have to choose between watching Spiderman and Cicakman which show do you think they will watch? So what would attract the younger generation to watch local films? Can local films ever match Hollywood in terms of visual effects, star power or even in promotional marketing activities? So how then can they compete against Hollywood movies? The answer is nearer than you think. Just look at our neighbors. Both Thailand and Singapore have managed to produce local-made films that are very successful, even on the international stage. So why cant Malaysian film producers do the same? The reason is simply because they are too afraid to offend the authorities. There is too much control, taboos, restrictions and censorship in the industry. It has come to a point where any movie that comes out from the local industry will almost sure to be too safe meaning dull and boring. Also, the local movies that come out arent controversial, provocative and have little to offer progressive Malaysians as a whole. Just take a look at our local news. We have an exciting by-election, the Jerit issue, the Hindraf issue, the ISA Issue, the hudud laws issue, many corruption scandals, a murder of a Mongolian gal and a conspiracy involving a top man, New Year sex parties with movie stars, the list goes on! Now why would I ever pay money to watch a local film when our local news in Malaysia is a whole lot more interesting? Do you think any of our local film producers are brave enough to turn any of the issues above into a movie? If our local film industry produced a film related to any of those issues I mentioned above, I am sure it will get a whole lot of publicity and many people will watch it. Why? Because all Malaysian can relate to it. It will be very provocative and this will generate curiosity and publicity among many Malaysians. And on top of this, it will not have to compete directly against any Hollywood movie (Blue Ocean strategy). Also, when was the last time we saw a movie that appealed to Malaysian audience as a whole? Local movies are usually categorised as either Malay movies, Indian movies or Chinese movies. Where are the Malaysian movies? Lets be honest how many Chinese will go watch a Malay movie? Local producers must learn to makes films that appeal to a broad spectrum of society and not segregate their movies potential market by race! Whats wrong with movies that have characters speaking Chinese, Malay, Tamil etc, in the same movie? We do that in our everyday life. So why not in our local films as well? I know it is not easy to produce films that will appeal to the whole country. Thus, local film producers must be ready to face the challenges of making movies that would be very controversial politically and socially. We must no longer be afraid to makes movies that are racially or religiously sensitive. Now, I am not asking producers to make films that insult other races or religion. Neither am I asking producers to make politically-charged propaganda films. But we can still make movies that reflect the true picture of our country and show that the human spirit can triumph over many adversities. With regards to this, I have a list of ideas that I think will make great movies which most Malaysian will pay to watch. Police corruption (tales of a young police officer facing huge peer pressure to compromise his principles and succumb to taking bribes and the persecution he faced by not giving in) A Malaysian spoof movie on the local politicians (I bet you it will be very funny with actors and actresses imitating our local politicians) Who really killed Altantuya? A mystery movie with an open-ended ending (allowing viewers to make their own decision) Prostitution in Malaysia Tale of a young local gal with little education being conned into prostitution The Hindraf/Jerit issues (why, this could be a documentary movie) May 13 (tale of three friends a Malay, an Indian and a Chinese whose relationship is strained to breaking point during that era but they managed to overcome this adversity and remain friends till this day) I am sure a lot of people can think of many more ideas that will make great movies. I am sure many of these potential movies will make certain groups unhappy. But that is the whole point isnt it? A safe and nice movie that does not raise any eyebrows will not interest the Malaysian public at all (considering they get so much more entertainment from the local news). Until local film producers are brave enough to challenge the status quo of making proper films, and make movies that are honest and relevant to all walks of life in Malaysia besides challenging the minds of our society, they will never be able to compete with Hollywood movies. (http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/99234) The FFF Guide to Writing a Winning Film Proposal So here it is! The FFF Guide to Writing a Winning Film Proposal. We tapped into the brains of our most beloved KOMAS creative consultants and pulling from them their many years of experience to give you the following tips to help guarantee your proposal has what it takes . ONE: Choosing your issue Is it relevant why is this issue important and why it is something that Malaysians need to know about, acknowledge and discuss openly? Is it daring is the issue seldom discussed and would researching it be difficult? Does the issue fit in with the theme of Democratic Space and Human Rights? First step: Choosing your issue Find an interesting issue that people regularly discuss or those that matters a lot. We need to keep finding out the Malaysians needs, what they would love to see, discuss and acknowledge either fits with Democratic Space and Human Rights theme. Second step: Content Showing viewers something that are rarely seen and take notes on every important points. TWO: Content What new angles or different point of view are you showing your viewers? What are the important points that this documentary will discuss? How will you make those points i.e. give details of who you will profile/interview, what visuals or scenarios will you document in detail. Provide story line or outline if possible, but not necessary. (If your proposal is chosen we will help you write the script). Its important to show that you have a clear idea of how the video will be executed and look like in the end. Show that discussion of the issue is well researched and deep. THREE: Treatment Describe how you will treat the film using music, editing techniques, storyline any creative approach to make your documentary interesting and attractive to your audiences. Trade Secrets Do research about your topic first. Speak to some resource people or find interesting profiles that you can definitely include in your film. Understand your issue well before taking on the subject. You need to know more or have something more to say that your viewers do not already know about or understand well. What is your stand on the issue? Think of one or two main points you want to make in the film. At the end of the film, this is the message you want your viewers to take home with them. Something that may sound interesting to you initially might be difficult to execute in the end be careful and plan well. A film is nothing without good audio/interviews and visuals, so you always need to have in mind what audio/visuals you will need to make your point. Know your own strengths and weakness. Have a team/crew that is technically proficient to help you in areas that you might be weak in. Follow these three easy steps, while taking into account those tricks of the trade and voila! Youre first documentary film proposal. Good luck! (http://freedomfilmfest.komas.org/?cat=53) Should Malay Films continue to be Malay Films? One approach that should be continued is the furthering of Malay films as films made in Malaysia. This is because the Malay language is the national language, one that does not exist outside of the Malay Archipelago. It is one that is easily acceptable as a language that reflects Malaysia from any point of view. The non-Malay language can always be used to reflect the position of the language i.e. spoken in the community among people of the same language culture, or in telling about some background information, so long as it can enhance the cinematic impact required by a film. To this end, the effort to produce Malaysian films should do this two-pronged approach: Increase the production of Malay films. Building the foundation of distributing Malaysian film that deals with Malaysian issues from the perspective of other races. The production of Malay films should be increased in quantity and quality. This is because Malaysia is the only country whereby Malay films can be produced. Without Malay films from Malaysia, it can be said that there will be no Malay films in the world. Another reason is that there is still a lot of of other Malay and Malaysian issues from Malaysia, as well as from the Malay archipelago, that can be shown on film. Reducing the production of Malay film and producing Malaysian films on the excuse that Malaysian films have to be multi-racial and multi-lingual will marginalise a film source that is very cinematic and will also diminish the importance of Malay history and culture. It is a culture that may well disappear. At the same time, the production of Malaysian films from the perspective of the non-Malays should also be encouraged. This will improve the standing of film in society and film as a medium and source of culture that is important to the nation. National Film Development Plan An officially-organised approach to build the film industry in Malaysia began in 1980 when the government established the National Film Development Body (FINAS). Since then, activities like as film development, encouragement, control and protection has been taken towards three of the most important aspects of the industry; that is, the production, distribution and screening of films in Malaysia. From the aspect of control and protection, the specific activities to development such as training workshops and financial aid can be said to have achieved their objectives. The Production Aid Scheme and return of entertainment tax, for example, can be incredibly significant to local film producers. This paper does not intend to provide further commentaries on the success or failure of such programmes run by FINAS. 25 years worth of opinions and debates can be found via other avenues. I will, however, say that the programmes have a long-term impact on the development of the film industry in the future. The subject at hand is film policy. FINAS, in an effort to advance the local film industry, has twice pushed this issue forward. The first was in the years of 1989 and 1990, led by Tun Ghazali Shafiee. The second time occurred in 2004, when the policies were reviewed and improved to become more aligned to the new objectives and concepts of Malaysian film development. Even though policies for a clear, national film agenda have been formulated, along with the requisite targets and objectives, nevertheless it is difficult to see what shape or form the Malaysian film industry will achieve by the year 2020. In my opinion, there should be a clear and concise 2020 objective to aim for, giving it the same amount of attention and importance as other fields. The entire nation is gearing up to achieve their respective objectives in these fields. As a developed nation, what kind of film industry will we have by then? It would be wise to ensure that we do no lag behind, and set practical objectives (e.g. local films having a 30% share of the market). The main thing is the setting of a schedule, timetable, or master plan for national film development. If such an action plan ever came into existence, all sectors of the industry would have main idea to refer to. Until now, however, we have yet to see such a plan, whether it exists or otherwise. Increasing Appreciation Programmes for Local Films in a Structured and Holistic Approach Another step that could be taken by all relevant parties is to increase the number of appreciation programmes in a structured and scheduled manner, so that the attention paid towards local films could be increased. This is of critical importance, seeing how low the audience numbers for local films are. From a national population of 26 million people, we can count a mere 200,000 to 300,000 people who consistently watch local films. Compare this to the Czech Republic, who have around 10 million people, but can depend on around 1 million of them to watch their own films. If we can increase the number of viewers even by 1 million people, it would certainly change the face of the local film industry. We could also look at other countries and consider how they develop their own films; South Korea, for example, imposes a quota system to protect their local filmmakers. The current situation is a cause for concern, because the previous generation of film viewers are now at a different stage of their life. Thus, they no longer go to the cinemas regularly. The new generation of film audience members have a different perception and exposure compared to the previous group, and with this comes a different viewing trend. If there is no programme to encourage further appreciation towards our own local films, Malaysian films, Malay or otherwise, will not have a chance. Only through a permanent, holistic, and well-planned approach will the situation improve. We need not look to far for an example of what could be; the current state of newspapers written in Arabic, when it was once the norm, is a sore sight for eyes. Even more galling is the lack of emotions that such a state arouses at the present time. Increasing and Expanding the Interest towards the National Language Apart from film appreciation programmes, other approaches can also be taken. One such example is to increase appreciation towards the language and culture of Malaysia, especially in the schools. Ultimately, this can help to increase further interest and fluency in understanding the local films. This should also be carried out in a similar manner to the above suggestion, so that the seed for such an interest can be planted and be allowed to mature. This can also increase the interest within society towards the traditional/Malay arts and stories which will also help along Malay and Malaysian films. Training Programmes, Technology Networking and Fund for Young Artists Other areas that can be looked at is further exposure and education about all aspects of filmmaking, including providing further training to those who currently active in the industry. We can also work to strengthen relations and networking, and providing practical encouragement for filmmakers to take Malaysian films beyond Malaysia. This networking will help to increase Malaysian film appreciation not just within the country, but also without. Another important factor is to create a fund for young artists. This fund can be used for various activities, like script development, but with an especial focus on encouraging the number of young directors with quality. Through such efforts will we only find the diamonds in the rough. Conclusion This paper does not suggest any one single conclusion, but invites further discussion and dialogue on the matters that I have raised. The issues and problems of the film industry are constantly changing with the winds of time, and so long as there is an effort to improve the making and content of local films, then the sky will truly be the limit as to what we can achieve. (http://thoughtsonfilms.wordpress.com/2009/04/01/the-malay-and-malaysian-film-where-are-we-part-2/) Archive for the Malaysian Cinema Category Global connections in three  countries In an earlier post on the film industry in Poland I looked at the range of countries to which the Polish film industry was connected through co-productions and incoming productions that did not involve a domestic partner (which I called autonomous productions). The data was taken from the Internet Movie Database, and while it cannot be said to provide a comprehensive overview of the globalisation of the film industry and its relation to Poland it does allow us to make some inferences about the range of countries a particular film industry is connected to in terms of a single type of interaction (i.e. feature film production). The aim behind this post, and todays follow-up, is to get a sense of the web of connections that link different film industries by simply enumerating the number of connections between them. Further work needs to be done on the economic value of these connections in order to understand how co-productions and autonomous productions contribute to a film industry, a nd so the depth of penetration (call this the density) needs to be considered alongside the range of connections in order to describe the extent to which a film industry is globalised. We could, for example, distinguish between film industries with a high range and high density, those with a high range but a low density, a low range but high density, and those with a low range and a low density. (This could be represented in similar terms to the relationship between the transnationality and territoriality of UK productions I used in Redfern 2007). This would enable us to distinguish between different types of national film industry in the global film industry, whilst also allowing us to identify areas of potential weakness. For example, an industry with a low range of connections but a high density will be overly-dependent on production finance from a small number of countries coming into the industry, and should anything upset this balance (better incentives available elsewhere, ch anges in exchange rates, global economic meltdown) this will have a disproportionately large effect on the host industry that could (potentially) be wiped out. Quite how to measure the density of global connections to a film industry is a problem I have not yet solved. We could use the proportion of the total production investment in an industry accounted for by co-productions and autonomous productions, but there may be better methods. A first step must be to simply understand the level of global interaction; and to add to the data on Poland, this post applies the same method to three other film industries in Malaysia, Chile, and Morocco. (A key difference here is that the data for Poland covered the period 2002 to 2007, while the data for these three countries covers the period 2003 to 2007). Malaysia A total of 37 films produced in Malaysia were identified from the Internet Movie Database, accounting for a total 47 connections to 17 countries, and country by country summary is presented in Table 1. Of the 37 films included here, only six are co-productions, so while Malaysia may be a filming location of choice for many producers this does not involve Malaysian production companies. The single largest number of connections is to India, but all of these are autonomous productions. After India, Singapore, with 5, has the second largest number of connections (again all autonomous); but in general the number of connections is very low fr each country across a 5 year time period. Connections to other Asian countries account for 66% of the total, while Europe accounts for 23% and North America just 11%. In simple numerical terms, connections to industries in the immediate vicinity are more important than those that stretch across the globe, although as noted above it is difficult to ass ess the meaning of these connections in the absence of detailed of some understanding of how deep they go into the Malaysian industry. TABLE 1 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Malaysia, 2003-2007 Chile 24 films produced in Chile were identified, accounting for a total of 42 connections to 12 countries. This data is summarised in Table 2. Of these films, just over half were co-productions and so (unlike Malaysia) a substantial proportion of productions shooting in Chile will have some sort of relationship to producers and filmmakers based in that country. South American countries account for only 21% of connections and North America (i.e. the US and Mexico) account for 31%, while seven different European countries account for just under half (48%). Unlike Malaysia (and Poland) it is not local connections that are the most important to Chile, but the relationships that reach further across the globe. TABLE 2 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Chile, 2003-2007 Morocco For Morocco, a total of 69 films were identified accounting for 111 connections to 23 different countries. of the three countries looked at here, Morocco has the greatest number of connections and the widest range of countries, but like Chile is dominated by North America and Europe. There are connections to only one African country (Algeria), one Asian country (Japan) and one South American country (Brazil); while 17 European countries account for 78% of connections and three North American countries account for 27%. Interestingly, only Morocco out of the the three countries looked at in this post and Poland has connections to countries in all parts of the globe. However, only 15 of the films in this sample were co-productions, and so, like Malaysia, international production in Morocco is typically non-Moroccan production. Only France is a significant co-production partner. That so many links to France should be apparent is unsurprising, as the state was made of protectorate of Fran ce under the Treat of Fez (1912), and the European influence here is strong (as it is in Algeria and Tunisia). The country with the largest single number of connections is the US, and this is in large part due to the fact that Morocco can stand in for other parts of the Arab world without so many of the dangers. Numerous Hollywood movies have chosen to film in Morocco since 2003 for the desert locations, the architecture, the middle-eastern looking extras, and because Morocco can also pass for the ancient world. Thus Alexander (Oliver Stone, 2004), Troy (Wolfgang Petersen, 2004), and Kingdom of Heaven (Ridley Scott, 2005) have all been shot in Morocco (along with Arn Tempelriddaren (Peter Flinth, 2007) and Arn Riket vid và ¤gens slut (Peter Flinth, 2008)). The Moroccan film industry appears to have benefited from the war in Iraq as the chosen location for Rendition (Gavin Hood, 2007), In the Valley of Elah (Paul Haggis, 2007), United 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006), and Home of the Br ave (Irwin Winkler, 2006), along with Syriana (Stephen Gaghan, 2005), Charlie Wilsons War (Mike Nichols, 2007), and Body of Lies (Ridley Scott, 2007). TABLE 3 Co-productions and autonomous productions to shoot in Morocco, 2003-2007 Summary Although this post is only a brief survey of three countries using limited data, it is possible to see how the film industry in different countries can be connected to the rest of the world. It is possible to identify where local connections are important and where more the key relationships are over a longer distance. It is possible to compare where connections between countries result in co-productions or where relationships are not formed with local producers. As more data becomes available it will hopefully be possible to compare the number of connections between countries over time to gain an understanding of the dynamic relationship, rather than the simply static picture we have here. In simply enumerating the connections in the global film industry in this manner we can slowly build up a picture of a mosaic of film industries.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Reflection on Humanities

Reflection on Humanities Art is very important in our lives. It constitutes one of the oldest form and most important means of expression developed by man. It is a language, which is charged with feelings and significance that has sprung up among men living together. For this, I am very glad to experience the beauty of arts, to meet arts within my body and soul. The teaching of the humanities is intended to make us students realize that the mere possession of knowledge is useless unless put to useful ends.Moreover, we would become aware that knowledge alone is meaningless unless it is accompanied by values, sentiments, priorities, insights, inter-relationships and other transcendent realities not subject to empirical proofs also form part of the person’s education. In the humanities, we, students are exposed to these, thus, the development of the whole person, which is the goal of humanities. The humanities are the stories, the ideas, and the words that help us make sense of o ur lives and our world.The humanities introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may have never crossed our minds. By showing how others have lived and thought about life, the humanities help us decide what is important in our own lives and what we can do to make them better. By connecting us with other people, they point the way to answers about what is right or wrong, or what is true to our heritage and our history.The humanities help us address the challenges we face together in our families, our communities, and as a nation. I am blessed to have met Mr. Apas. I knew and realized the glaring importance and beauty of what he always tell us regarding culture and art in our humanities class. But I pray the effort for each of us to grasp at what he was aiming, might at the very least bring us to a better understanding of arts and culture.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Dracula vs Blade

Essay – The Consequence Of Modernity The context of a point of time in history greatly influences an author’s idea to create a story, and for someone else to evolve them. Events occurring within society and the way people perceive other’s at a time also contributes majorly to the development of modernity. Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’ and David Goyer’s film ‘Blade Trinity’ contrast significantly as a result of difference in context. Weaponry had developed immensely over the two stories to cater for the advancements from one classic vampire to a fresh, modern, powerful one.The story of ‘Dracula’, set in Victorian times, consists of the simple, almost primitive weaponry, particularly ones of a superstitious and religious value. For example, Holy Water, Church Wafers, garlic and crucifixes were used mostly to ward off Dracula, but the one weapon to defeat him was a Bowie Knife, driven through the heart, causing hi s body to crumble into a pile of dust. These weapons used were suited to the times the novel was set in, and were designed to be a match for the current Dracula’s capabilities.An incredible contrast was cast between the weaponry in both texts, as ‘Blade Trinity’ evidently expressed the advancements of technology through the use of several variations of machine guns, assault rifles and pistols. Not only gun machinery was used, but also weapon ideas created for the movie under the category of ‘Nightstalker armoury’ such as laser bows and arrows, electronic pistols, and most famously known for destroying the modern-day vampire race, the Daystar Serum. This use of developed technology from Stocker’s novel to Goyer’s film created the effect of updated aspects to suit the change of attitudes in society.The intention behind these noticeable advancements of weaponry was to assist the technology to fit appropriately with the increasingly powerfu l capabilities of ‘Blade Trinity’s’ Drake. The acceptance and tolerance of violence within society would have also created a factor contributing to weaponry advancements, as weapons became incredibly lethal through the movie ‘Blade Trinity’. Due to the concept of society sharing a greater acceptance of violence in media, weaponry was the very opposite to ‘sugar-coated’, and was portrayed as destructive as possible, only serving the purpose to kill.This could have been a possible reason as to why the weaponry to fight off a vampire had developed so differently into such deadly technology. The above points help support the idea of context, and habits of society greatly contributing to the newer weaponry designed to suit and adapt to the ‘villains’ they are used to fight with against. The change in times can almost ‘transform’ characteristics of a character, as evident through the two comparing texts. Stokerâ€℠¢s Dracula and ‘Blade Trinity’s’ Drake display a great physical difference between them, which became obvious through comparison.Dracula’s dark appearance was firstly portrayed through Stoker’s novel as â€Å"†¦clad in black from head to foot, without a single speck of colour about him anywhere. † He was also described as sporting a heavy moustache, massive eyebrows, and bushy hair. He was of age, and wore distinctive and unmistakeable features upon his face. Appearance is an immediately noticeable difference between the two versions of head vampire, as Drake is portrayed visually as a modernised, young, handsome and clean-cut variation. He wore as clothes; a chest-bare, white buttoned up shirt and pants, as well as several necklaces.Already, the colour difference of garments is clear, as the fully-black clothed Dracula portrays a dark, classic look, whereas Drake sports a westernised uniform, almost perfectly fitting into the rest of so ciety. As exposed through the scene of Drake marching almost fiercely through the busy streets of an American city, his appearance assists him to virtually blend in with the rest of the commonly dressed, city-goers. Unlike Drake, Dracula unquestionably stood out from any person commonly dressed, even in the Victorian Era.This gave the effect of an obvious modernisation, and again, was an aspect created to suit the current audience and social habits. Differing context can prove to not only impact how a character is portrayed visually, but also how society perceives them, particularly with the uncertain concept of vampires possibly still being a myth or legend within both texts. Stoker’s Dracula was generally feared by his surrounding community, and believers of vampires tended to be over-superstitious of the danger he may bring to people.The myth of vampires was a topic infrequently found in an average conversation, as it was dreaded that even discussion would transport cursed luck and risks. Superstition is conveyed through the scene of the innkeeper’s wife delivering the ominous warning to Harker by cautioning him that â€Å"All the evil things in the world will have full sway†, before placing the Crucifix around his neck as a religious offering to hopefully serve the purpose of protection. This gives the effect that Dracula has a power above others, simply because they are fearful of him.Also, the way Dracula is written about expresses a sense that he may or may not intentionally give off an unwelcoming presence that tends to linger and produce a discomfort or fear among people within his surroundings, mostly in the earlier chapters of the novel. The contrast in comparison to society’s perception of Drake is tremendous, as the myth or legend of vampires is far from a secret in the 21st century world of ‘Blade Trinity’. It is seen through the opening scene that vampires are discussed commonly on news events, designed t o assert and inform the public of any danger emerging within the city.This shows immediately that the public is obviously used to hearing about the possible risks that arise with the company of vampires, which can again support the idea of rates of modernity and development does in fact depend of how and how often changes in attitudes and culture occurs within society. A scene example of the general whole of society’s views and perception in Blade Trinity was the tattoo parlour of which Drake had entered, and to his disgust, was mocked by several dozens of comedic merchandising, Dracula-themed products.Drake became visibly outraged, taking out his frustration on the shopkeeper’s, as he was clearly insulted with the modernisation progress vampires were experiencing, having some aspects of their lives portrayed a little too light-heartedly and humorously. This scene is an example of the great contrast of which seriousness seemed to begin to be lacking from the vampire my th concept, whereas such merchandise products supplied in the Victorian times would have been less than humorous.These examples again support any reason for change and modernisation occurring simply to adapt to the forever-changing social interests of the public. The average women of Victorian times were nothing other than lady-like, pure, and honourable without question. That is why there is such a severe distinction when compared to some particular hard-hitting, courageous and heroic females of the 21st century, such as ‘Blade Trinity’s’ character Abigail.Firstly, ‘Dracula’s’ leading female characters Mina and Lucy are great examples of typical, virtuous Victorian women, and are both also men-focused. Lucy portrays an obvious sexual magnetism, and cannot help but be drawn to several men. Evidently she is offered three proposals in one day, and proudly expresses, â€Å"Why can’t they let a girl marry three men, or as many want her, an d save all this trouble? † Mina is a different kind of man-focused Victorian woman, as she is far from sexually driven unlike Lucy, and cares only for further ways to be useful and valuable to her husband.The two girls possess common womanhood values, and act only as socially accepted as woman, which is to behave in a feminine and respectable manner, with the exception of acting as a sexual tease when desired. Whereas in Blade Trinity, it is seen that Abigail (a strong-headed, determined tomboy), is the complete opposite of the original characteristics possessed by Mina and Lucy. Abigail competes with the equivalent strength and determination of her male team partner Hannibal King, and is often the one rescuing Hannibal from danger.She possesses a fearless personality, and demonstrates brute-strength in scenes such as the train station, of which teenage-vamps’ attempt to devour her decoy baby and herself, but are stopped immediately once she whips out her lethal weapons , specifically designed for destroying vampires. She proves to be close to physically unstoppable, and has the willpower to take over the world. This swapping of gender roles is a reflection of what is currently recognised by society as a positive concept, as the 21st century’s restrictions on what woman are capable of in a man’s world are decreasing.Therefore a consequence of modernity would be that gender roles may have become less specific in society, which is reflected in the personality changes of characters of ‘Dracula’ compared to ‘Blade Trinity’. In conclusion, acceptable practices and cultures within society are what influence the advancements and modernisation of one story to another. Cultures are constantly changing, therefore ideas such as gender roles and technology within stories for example, will forever be adapting to the demands of society at that present time.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Design Oriented And Patterns Oriented Perspective On An...

Introduction Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a coherent set of descriptions, covering a regulations-oriented, design-oriented and patterns-oriented perspective on an enterprise, which provides indicators and controls that enable the informed governance of the enterprise’s evolution and succesd1. In simple terms, an EA is a conceptual blueprint that defines the structure of an organization in terms of its operation and interaction among various units within it. As organizations become larger, operations management become bigger and more cumbersome, hence the need for an enterprise architecture framework that can describe the underlying infrastructure, providing the groundwork for the hardware, software, networks and people to work2. There are a number of enterprise architecture framework in use today with many of them having similar views and approaches in an attempt to address various needs and concerns of an organization. Zachman framework for enterprise architecture is one of the major EA framework in use today and is considered to be one of the pioneers in the ES domain. Zachman EA framework adopts principles of classical architecture that establish a common vocabulary and set of perspectives for describing complex enterprise systems2. The Zachman Framework is made up of six perspectives or views, which are Planner, Owner, Designer, Builder, Subcontractor, and User. The second dimension of Zachman’s Framework deals with the six basic questions: what, how, where, who,Show MoreRelatedEstablishing Architecture For Large Enterprise Solutions3592 Words   |  15 PagesEstablishing Architecture for Large Enterprise Solutions in Agile Environment Sujatha Dantuluri Software Architecture Karsun Solutions LLC Herndon, USA Abstract—Companies are adopting Agile, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Lean to deliver software faster to the market. These stack of methodologies ensure early delivery and faster time to recover from mistakes. While developing software iteratively we need to ensure design and quality are not compromised to speed. SAFe proposes to use emergentRead MoreLegos IT and Value Chain Strategies4367 Words   |  17 PagesHYPERLINK l _Toc326781336 2.0 Literature Review and Value Chain Analysis PAGEREF _Toc326781336 h 5 HYPERLINK l _Toc326781337 2.1. The role of SAP in Legos Value Chain Strategies PAGEREF _Toc326781337 h 5 HYPERLINK l _Toc326781338 2.2. Legos Enterprise Systems and Process Integration to Flextronics PAGEREF _Toc326781338 h 7 HYPERLINK l _Toc326781339 2.2.1 Legos EAI Integration With Flextronics PAGEREF _Toc326781339 h 8 HYPERLINK l _Toc326781340 2.3. Legos Use of Analytics and the HierarchyRead MoreProblems and Prospect Business Education in Nigeria Colleges of Education5490 Words   |  22 Pagesdata modeling framework, something which needed more theoretical development at the time of the first E-R Conference. By 1982 however, McCarthy had completed that additional work, and he followed the first E-R paper and conference presentation with a more general semantic theory of economic phenomena in business organizations - the REA accounting model (McCarthy, 1982).             The first and most basic form of the REA semantic framework is portrayed in the figure. This basic pattern has been extendedRead MoreLeveraging The Capabilities Of Service Oriented Decision Support Systems2934 Words   |  12 Pages Demirkan, H., Delen, D. (2013). Leveraging the capabilities of service-oriented decision support systems:Putting analytics and big data in cloud. Decision Support Systems, 412-421. Introduction In the current time, the growth, as well as success of all the organizations and business firms depends only on the use of effective information system and development within the organization. The companies are making more profits and generating highest revenues and achieving competitive advantages throughRead MoreCloud Computing2546 Words   |  11 PagesThane- 401209 2nd line of address Mob. No. +91- 09322119824 Mob. No. +91- 09850394576 Telephone number, incl. country code prashant.pandey@sify.com Sandy.Singh1432@gmail.com 3rd E-mail ABSTRACT As with any new trend in the IT world, enterprises must figure out the benefits and risks of cloud computing and the best way to use this technology. The buzz around cloud computing has reached a fever pitch. Some believe it is a disruptive trend representing the next stage in the evolution of theRead MoreReport On Internet Of Internet3944 Words   |  16 PagesREPORT ON INTERNET OF THINGS- WEB OF THINGS -architecture and security issues University of Colorado Colorado Springs CS6930 Report by Uma maheswari chinta and Deepak metlapalli 1. Abstract: In the vision of the Internet of Things (IoT), an expanding number of installed gadgets of various kinds (e.g., sensors, cellular telephones, cameras, smart meters, brilliant autos, traffic lights, savvy home appliances, and so forth.) are currently fit for imparting and sharing information over the InternetRead MoreData Base Management System13582 Words   |  55 Pages Database Design Database design is the process of developing database structures to hold data to cater user requirements. The final design must satisfy user needs in terms of completeness, integrity, performance, and other factors. 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Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Different Sociological Perspectives - 1915 Words

Critically Analyse and Evalute The Different Sociological Perspectives On The Types of Family And Households In Britain. Evaluate Their Functions And Roles. To What Extent Do They Take Into Account The Diversity of Family Types In Britain? In this essay I will be looking at the different sociological theories as they relate to the family household, functions and roles. The socialists include The Functionalist , The Marxist, The Feminists, The New Rights and The Post Modernisms. There is an array of different family types. These include the nuclear family, reconstituted family/step family, single parent family, cultural family, and even more so in the modern times an evolution of different and alternative family types are getting more†¦show more content†¦The expression for the instrumental and expressive roles isn’t as valid when you apply them into the roles of the sexes, as now with the increase of different family types the roles can be reversed or one parent could provide the instrumental and expressive role. Marxists do not view the family as acting in the interest of society as a whole but more in the form of a superstructure that benefits the capitalist system. â€Å"Marxist see the family within the framework of a capitalist society, which is based on private property, driven by profit and is riddled with conflict between social classes with opposing interest†. (Browne pg 123) According to the Marxists the industrial aspects and the reproduction of people and generations contributes to the system by them working to maintain the economic system. This view on the family fails to take into account the sociological benefits a family can have outside of the industrial perspective. Brown (n.d) states that Engles, an early Marxists, believed that the monogamous practice of the nuclear family guarantees the paternity of the children, therefore ensuring that private property was passed down to the right people. There is also the perception that women married for material gain as, like the functionalists, they believed men should be the breadwinners and women should stayShow MoreRelatedDifferent Cultures From A Sociological Perspective1458 Words   |  6 Pagesthat are occurring in my own life and how relationships in being made in t he future will be affected will be changed because of this. This reflective paper will focus on the various differences in cultures from a sociological perspective, and provide examples from my own life on how different cultures and social groups alike can change the actions and feelings of a person, whether it be conscious or not. Socialization is a very important and critical aspect of the life course. The agents of socializationRead MoreSoc 101-Family Through Different Sociological Perspectives2143 Words   |  9 PagesRunning Head: FAMILY THROUGH DIFFERENT SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Family Through Different Sociological Perspectives Stephani Marlow SOC 101 Instructor Marian Spaid-Ross Jan 15th, 2012 All families are unique. A few decades ago, the most common type of family was the mother and father living with their unmarried children. Today, families are vastly different including more single-parent households than ever before, stepfamilies, and adopted families, and grandparents raising their grandchildrenRead MoreMerit 2 – Use different sociological perspectives to discuss patterns and trends of health and illness in two different social groups.1037 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Merit 2 – Use different sociological perspectives to discuss patterns and trends of health and illness in two different social groups. Distinction 1 - Evaluate different sociological explanations for patterns and trends of health and illness in two different social groups. There are many different factors that can increase your chance of becoming ill and dying. The different factors are social class, gender, age and ethnicity. The different social groups I will look at are social class and genderRead MoreSociological Perspective On The And Mate Selection1597 Words   |  7 Pagespossesses strong sociological perspective however would argue that the decision of marriage is largely influenced by factors from the world around them. More specifically, sociological perspective is the point of view that examines how institutions such as the government or mass media, cultural norms and beliefs, and social hierarchies such as race or ethnicity influence the lives of individuals (Mills 2013:3-4). It can also be explained as the opposite of an individualistic perspective, which is theRead MoreEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one s hould be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreScociological1136 Words   |  5 PagesMajor Sociological Paradigms There are three sociological perspectives that shape the structure of society as a whole. Functionalist perspective, symbolic interactionism and conflict theory. Sociologists develop these theories to explain social phenomena. In this essay I will explain the origins and evolution of the three main sociological perspectives and listing the sociologists that made major contributions to these disciplines. â€Å"The functionalist perspective is a sociological approachRead MoreThe Sociological Imagination, By C. Wright Mills799 Words   |  4 Pages The sociological imagination, a concept used by C. Wright Mills, is essentially the ability to perceive a situation or act in a much larger social context as well as examining the situation or act from many perspectives. In particular, it plays a paramount role in Donna Gaines Teenage Wasteland. It is a tragic story of 4 teens who together, committed suicide. The teens were deemed as â€Å"dropouts, druggies† [Teenage Wasteland 8.2] by newspapers and were still treated with disdain even after theirRead MoreReaction Paper675 Words   |  3 Pagesin the field of Sociology each person is going to approach topics in a different manner. Not everyone is going to have the exact same view on a particular subject. There are however, three major categories in which people might choose to approach topics. The approaches are known as sociolog ical perspectives and are the functionalist, conflict, and interactionist perspectives. These perspectives name other ways in which different people choose to analyze a subject, and how they look at a society asRead MoreEssay on what is the sociological perspective (imagination)691 Words   |  3 PagesQuestion 1: What is the sociological perspective? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What is the nature of the social sciences? This is the question that began the study of society, first performed by C. Wright Mills in his development of the idea of the sociological imagination. There are many different aspects to the sociological perspective. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines perspective as â€Å"the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance†Read MoreSociology Paper The Other Wes Moore 1356 Words   |  6 Pages 2010, front cover). The Other Wes Moore is about two guys with the same name but end up going down totally different paths in life, hence the quote. In this paper it will discuss the novel, The Other Wes Moore, describe their social location, and describe the sociological perspectives used in sociology and analyze excerpts from the book using each of the three sociological perspectives. Social location is the combination of social factors which locate someone in society (Henslin,2013, pg.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Creole democracy by Rufino Blanco-Fombona free essay sample

Was born at Caracas, in Venezuela, in 1874. He comes of an old and aristocratic family of Spanish, descent. His extraordinary activities, not only as a writer, but as politician, revolutionary soldier, and government employee, together with his picturesque personal exploits, have all contributed to make him one ofthe most interesting figures in the Spanish-American world. He has traveled in many parts of the world. His writings include criticism, Poetry, political essays, novels, and short stories. His first collection of tales appeared in 1900. Of Creole Democracy, perhaps his finest short story, Dr. Goldberg has said that not many tales that have come out of South America can match it.†The present version, revised from an earlier version, is here printed by permission of the translator, Isaac Goldberg. Venezuelan poet, essayist and novelist, one of the leaders of Modernismo. Active in Venezuelan political affairs, he lived exiliated many years in Europe and contributed to spread the knowledge of Spanish American literature abroad. His poems, as the collection Cantos de la Prisià ³n y del Destierro are better than his novels. Among his novels are El Hombre de Hierro and El Hombre de Oro. Also a politician, during the II Spanish Republic, he was Governator of the Provinces of Almerà ­a (1932) and Navarra (1933.) (bio by:380W) Rufino Blanco-Fombona, (b. June 17, 1874, Caracas, Venezuela ²d. October 17, 1944, Buenos Aires, Argentina), Venezuelan literary historian and man of letters who played a major role in bringing the works of Latin American writers to world attention. Jailed during the early years of the dictatorship (1908-35) of Juan Vicente Gà ³mez, Blanco-Fombona fled to Europe, where he established Editorial Amà ©rica in Madrid (1914), which presented Latin American writers to the European literary world. A prolific author, he wrote poetry, short stories, novels, and essays. Of Blanco-Fombona’s vast output,his literary essays are considered his best work. Two of his critical works, El modernismo y los poet as modernist as (1929;  ³Modernism and the Modernist Poets ´) and Camino de imperfeccià ³n, diario de mi vida (1906-1913) (1929;  ³Road of Imperfection, Diary of My Life 1906 ±1913 ´), are considered standard works on the Modernist movement in Spanish. Other important works include Letras y letrados de Hispano-Amà ©rica (1908;  ³ Letters and the Learned in Latin America ´) and Grandes escritores de Amà ©rica (1919;  ³Great Writers of America ´). His novel, El hombre de oro (The Man of Gold), was published in 1912 Creole Democracy Pampas-the vast grassy plains of northern Argentina  Creole -a person of European descent born in the West Indies or Latin America, a person descended from French ancestors in southern United States (especially Louisiana) Mulatto an offspring of a black and a white parent Peon -drudge: a laborer who is obliged to do menial work  Salvannah savanna: flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions Machete a large heavy knife used in Central and South America as a weapon or for cutting vegetation Vaquero local names for a cowboy (`vaquero is used especially in southwestern and central Texas and `buckaroo is used especially in California) Creole Democracy I.Synopsis â€Å"Creole Democracy† is a clear presentation of one fundamental defect from of government. Democracy is based on the concept of the rule â€Å"of the people, by the people, for the people. â€Å"The success of a democratic form of government is based on the nature and condition of the electorate that they are literate enough to express their will in the ballot, that they have sufficient education to understand and analyze and decide on vital issues, and that they canimpose discipline on their emotions and themselves. To meet these requirements of democracy, Fambona tells us, most developing countries are still incapable. So the story ends in tragedy and death with the participants not really knowing it is all about. II.Commentary According to Edward Brathwaite, â€Å"creolization† is a cultural process—material, psychological and spiritual—based upon the stimulus/ response of individuals within the society to their [new] environment and to each other—it is a reciprocal activity, a process of intermixture and enrichment, each to each.† Generally, we use the term creole to refer to new world societies like the Caribbean and South America, as well as those postcolonial societies that have been made racially diverse through the convulsions of European colonization. Those countries that have such creole democracy need to embrace, mixture of people, making a new community where there is co-existence of diverse races and culture. Creole democracy have two political parties rely on having the majority of votes on their side: â€Å"the efforts of the party leaders were directed toward herding the largest possible number of men.† One party is the government and the other one are rebels. Both of them in competition: â€Å"the bosses of each side would spy upon each other to see how many voters were being added to their rivals forces.† The voters are uneducated about how they will vote and are just merely instructed by their chosen party: â€Å"party hacks were going from group to group explaining the procedure of the morrows election.† The voters already have a foresight that there will bewar that will happen in this kind election and begin to show mistrust on the electorates: â€Å"`Elections! ` scoffed one vaquero. `Before long well be hearing Pum! Pum! And then, ho, for stabbing hides!’ â€Å"War is not new anymore to them because it happened before, especially during elections: â€Å"to this bit of grim humor in the face of possible tragedy.† and â€Å"this was a slogan familiar to everybody, and many smiled bitterly at the memories it awoke.† It is not impossible for this to happen because of the competition and influence of both parties. In war, the revolutionary officers have machetes while the rebels have guns on their hands. Both have a advantages and disadvantages: â€Å"for in a hand-on-hand struggle a heavy gun is a hindrance rather than a help. â€Å"Both parties are keeping a secret on the public: â€Å"they dont tell the truth. If were going to war, let’s go but let them not hide from us. â€Å"The story reveals the role of women. Men compare them to hens and portray them as weak beings: â€Å"Theyre not afraid that well run off into hiding like so many hens or women The party leaders dont care much about the safety of their people: â€Å"Be sure to cry out loud, now, when you want us to come to your help.† sending the vaquero to spy on the other party. In this scene, it shows that women in that time are used as a shield: â€Å"Heres a woman to go along and keep you company. â€Å"The vaquero acted arrogant and fearless as he go along and thought of his leader belittling him: â€Å"They think I’m afraid.† The young vaquero didnt think of any elderly respect for the old man as he killed him defenseless. But when he killed the old man he was scared but proud of what he did: â€Å"the youth run off at one at his leader and not without a certain  boastfulness told, in the presence of all, just what had occurred. â€Å"A woman was again portrayed as rather someone to be killed even an elderly one: â€Å"Kill and old manWhy not an old woman† Realizing that the other group will hunt down the vaquero, he was just asked to hide or hell die, receiving no help from the leader who used him: â€Å"I cant do a thing. Quick! Off to the mountains!† The vaquero didnt know that what he did was a crime as a sign of an uneducated man who just his leader: â€Å"Then it is true that this was a crime?† All that he thought was to kill the other party with one reason at all. That he is an enemy. Realizing his mistake he turned himself to justice. Having regrets of his ignorance and still confused: â€Å"But werent we supposed to conquer them? Werent they our enemies? â€Å"The people of Camoruco are not yet ready for democratic changes. For them to have a successful democracy, the public and the electorates should be first educated about the meaning of democracy. The story proved that education of people and the leaders will only turn into chaos. The leaders should not think about themselves and be selfish but rather to put into mind that democracy is â€Å"of the people, by the people and for the people†. Each of the public should have a contribution for the success of the country not just merely being influenced by powerful leaders. The leaders of both party in the story dont have a clear goal of what they will do in their country, cant even notice the issues they are facing and discipline themselves rather all they want is to be in power.