Alright, so I'm slightly nostalgic that we had our last official class yesterday. Where has the time gone?
As I'm writing up my last paper (which, by the way, THANK YOU DR. A. FOR PUTTING ME IN TOUCH WITH PERLA FARIAS! She emailed me back and I about had a heart attack!), I'm realizing how well-versed we are in telenovelas now. I mean, really- think about it. Not only do we know about all the history, but we know about codes, we know about the different types of telenovelas, we know about production and consumption... we even know people now! From Marisa to Ruxi, all the way to Alberto Gomez and (I pray this works on Sunday) Leonardo Padron and Roque Valero. WE EVEN MET DR. A's MOM!
So let's recap some of the highlights of the semester and what we've gotten out of it:
-Our surprise visit from Marisa: we now know how tricky Dr. A can actually be.
-Watching our own telenovelas (and perhaps falling in love): this actually improved my Spanish skills. I don't know about anyone else.
-The world really is a smaller place (thanks to Skype, etc.): it's been unreal to be able to use technology to talk to people all around the world. We've read blogs from people who live all over the world. You can't say that it's a pretty amazing thing to know how small the world is thanks to all the social media that's around the world.
It's been a whirlwind of a semester and I know that it's only the beginning of telenovelas as a part of our own culture. I'm about to order "Todos Quieren con Marilyn" and "Juana la Virgen" to watch. Anyone wanna come with me?
Thanks for everything, Dr. A. You've made your passion a part of our lives too.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Finding Inspiration
We have had the opportunity to speak with a couple of writers about the process of creating successful telenovelas. Telenovelas are very demanding on everyone involved in creating them; all of the components (writers, actors, producers) must depend on one another to make a successful telenovela. Writers in particular have a challenging role because if they don't produce anything that it can set back all of production.
Telenovelas air every weekday, meaning writers have to produce a script per day for however long the telenovela lasts. Although there are key elements of a telenovela that they must include in the story, they must be creative and stretch their imaginations in order to keep watchers intrigued. It makes you wonder where they find the inspiration to come up with such crazy stories. What influences them? Do they write in the same place everyday or do they try writing in different settings? Do they incorporate anything from their own lives in the scripts? Do they study the people around them or in the news to develop certain characters?
I know that every writer has their own unique process but I can't help but wonder what kind of struggles they face with trying to push out a script. I have a hard enough time trying to think of something meaningful to write about in blog posts, let alone create something that has to entertain thousands of people. One thing's for sure, writers really have to love the art of telenovelas because so much blood, sweat, and tears has to go in each and every script that they write.
Telenovelas air every weekday, meaning writers have to produce a script per day for however long the telenovela lasts. Although there are key elements of a telenovela that they must include in the story, they must be creative and stretch their imaginations in order to keep watchers intrigued. It makes you wonder where they find the inspiration to come up with such crazy stories. What influences them? Do they write in the same place everyday or do they try writing in different settings? Do they incorporate anything from their own lives in the scripts? Do they study the people around them or in the news to develop certain characters?
I know that every writer has their own unique process but I can't help but wonder what kind of struggles they face with trying to push out a script. I have a hard enough time trying to think of something meaningful to write about in blog posts, let alone create something that has to entertain thousands of people. One thing's for sure, writers really have to love the art of telenovelas because so much blood, sweat, and tears has to go in each and every script that they write.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Last Post--So sad!
Over Thanksgiving Break, I had the great opportunity to go to Southern France. While I was there, I met a ton of interesting new people from all over the world and I couldn't help but to bring up this class and telenovelas to them!
One lady in particular who I had talked to really struck my interest. Her name was Diana and she was from Mexico and from the older generation, about 65 years old. When I brought up telenovelas, boy did she get excited and couldn't believe that someone from my background (haha, I think me being Asian?) and age was talking to her about telenovelas.
She was fairly privileged when she grew up in Mexico as a child and they were fortunate enough to have TVs (not just one!) in her home. As she grew up, she also married into higher society and didn't have to do much except be a regular housewife, so she had a lot of time to watch telenovelas. The few that I remember her mentioning were called "Pecado Mortal" and "Cartas de Amor" and "La Leona". She had mentioned more, but with my broken Spanish and her broken English, we did have some trouble communicating! I wasn't familiar with any of these novelas, but she told me that they came out around 1960 and that "Pecado Mortal" now has a remake that is "Abrazame muy fuerte" I believe, and said she refuses to watch it! I thought it was really funny, because it's just like the consumption we discussed in class--a lot of the originals just simply can't be replaced to the viewers!
I think what I enjoyed the most while talking to her was how we could connect on the same level even though we're from such different backgrounds, which is such a valuable thing! So, I really want to thank Dr. A for everything she's done for us--this was definitely my favorite class and it was an amazing experience for me!
The World of Telenovelas
I’m really glad we decided to wait until the end of the semester to talk to the writers. We had so many more prying questions than when we first started in this course and so much more appreciation for what a telenovela is. I have not seen any of Alberto’s telenovelas, but it was so exciting to get to hear from him and hear about his experiences as a writer. Being a writer seems like it would be really hard; he said that at times he was responsible for 4 tevenovelas. I had no idea that the networks pretty much tell them what to write, and they have to follow these guidelines. Also, it was good to hear that if the writer hates where the direction of the telenovela is going, he usually is passionate enough to stop writing because it is not what he envisioned. They work so hard to write these stories, and they shouldn’t let the networks rewrite what they have spent so much time developing.
I think one of the most surprising things that I learned from taking this class was the globalization and popularity of the telenovela. Millions of people watch them, and not only in Latin America but all over the world. We even got the really popular series Ugly Betty from a telenovela. There are SO many that have been made, both remakes and originals, and they dominate Latin television. There are a lot of factors to why people love them, but in my opinion any good television show has drama and a strong love story. One of my favorite shows, The Office, has a lot of humor but also still manages to incorporate a love story between two of the main characters. Their love story is one of the reasons I have continued to watch the show from season to season. This idea of love forever and a one true love really keeps viewers watching.
Last Episode Lessons
I found the lecture on last episodes to be very interesting today. What interested me most were the telenovelas that had the conversations with the audience at the end. I have noticed this sort of thing happen in shows here in the US. I am by no means a fan of gossip girl; I find the show extremely annoying, but nonetheless my roommate Melissa is obsessed with it. Generally we watch tv together at night, so I tried to watch for a few episodes. The show ends always with gossip girl sort of summing up either a lesson or conniving remark, followed by "xoxo, gossip girl."
The similar thing happens at the beginning and end of Grey's Anatomy. Eeach episode beging and ends with a character, usually Meredith, giving some sort of life lesson. For example,
Meredith: [narrating] Everyday we get to give the gift of life, it can be painful, it can be terrifying, but in the end it's worth it. Every time. We all have the opportunity to give. Maybe the gifts are not as dramatic as what happens in the operating room, maybe the gift is to try and make a simple apology, maybe it's to understand another person's point of view, maybe it's to hold a secret for a friend. The joy supposedly is in the giving, so when the joy is gone, when the giving starts to feel more like a burden, that's when you stop. But if you're like most people I know, you give till it hurts, and then you give some more.
I feel as though this summary can also be a summary to a telenovela. It's so interesting to me to see the similarities and differences in the telenovelas and shows here.
The similar thing happens at the beginning and end of Grey's Anatomy. Eeach episode beging and ends with a character, usually Meredith, giving some sort of life lesson. For example,
Meredith: [narrating] Everyday we get to give the gift of life, it can be painful, it can be terrifying, but in the end it's worth it. Every time. We all have the opportunity to give. Maybe the gifts are not as dramatic as what happens in the operating room, maybe the gift is to try and make a simple apology, maybe it's to understand another person's point of view, maybe it's to hold a secret for a friend. The joy supposedly is in the giving, so when the joy is gone, when the giving starts to feel more like a burden, that's when you stop. But if you're like most people I know, you give till it hurts, and then you give some more.
I feel as though this summary can also be a summary to a telenovela. It's so interesting to me to see the similarities and differences in the telenovelas and shows here.
The Final Episode...or blog entry
Wow- I cannot believe how this semester has flown by! Watching clips from final episodes today made me realize how many telenovelas there are that I want to watch. I think that I want to watch pretty much every single one of Leonardo Padron's novelas. This man is a genius, and I can't believe how lucky we are to interview him (hopefully) on Sunday! I love the way that he breaks from the "traditional" ending and in its place has an original yet equally exciting fin. The ending to "La vida entera" was especially cool. The disassembling of the set was such a neat way to express the end of the story and of the show. The artistic element behind it was impressive as well. Showing the camera men in the mirror, and just the logistics of filming the filming, was really cool. It seems like the mixing of the fiction with reality, and jumping from one to the other is common in Padron's novelas, at least at the end of the telenovela. Speaking to the public, the audience, is also an interesting approach. I wonder what it feels like as a viewer, to watch 160+ episodes as a complete spectator to this fictional show, and then to be addressed directly by the actor, or the character. I can't wait to watch Cosita Rica, Ciudad Bendita, and La Vida Entera, even though I already know the endings!
The Final Goodbye
As the semester wraps up, I can’t believe that this is already my last blog post. It has flown by and this class has absolutely exceeded my expectation levels. The last episode presentation in class today was a great way to end the course. I found it extremely interesting to see how many different endings a telenovela could have. Like almost everything else, it is completely up to the discretion of the writer to decide how to end it. I wonder if writers start to develop a reputation for having a particular type of ending?
The final episode of La Vida Entera was the best example that showed me how unique a writer could make it. That ending in particular was a great way to say goodbye to the viewers and the cast. I can definitely understand how it could be emotional, when the set was literally getting taken apart, but I also think it could be a time of celebration and looking back on their accomplishments. One question that occurred to me was this: Since they literally took the set down during the filming process, what would they do if the scene was not 100% satisfactory? Did the director check the film to see if it was good? This question led me to think back to the chaotic production process. Because the actors are on a strict time schedule and must film an episode a day, does this sometimes hinder the quality of their work? I wonder if there are instances in which this has happen…
In conclusion, I just wanted to say thanks to Dr. A for teaching such an incredible course! I have enjoyed every minute of it and am so glad I had the opportunity to learn about such a unique subject.
My Inspirational Blog Post: Gracias!
I wanted to wait until after today’s class to write my final blog post. I was waiting for inspiration because I have to admit that this last post is somewhat bittersweet and sentimental. The inspiration that I was looking for did not come when I thought it was going to come. I thought I would be immediately inspired by the “final episode” lecture and hop right on the internet to blog about it.
Although the lecture was extremely interesting and I especially liked learning about Padron’s unique endings, my true inspiration came when I was writing my course evaluation. Because my on-campus job primarily consists of typing up student evals for the UNIV courses, I normally do not write anything on teacher evals if given the opportunity. This is just because I know that students typically say the same thing over and over and I frankly empathize with the people who have to sit and type all of those up. However, I knew without a doubt that I was going to write today because even if all the comments are going to say the same thing, I guarantee its all good things. Those are my favorite evals to type, the positive ones, the ones where students love the teachers and feel that they have benefited from the class.
There was so much I wanted to say but just didn’t have the time or space on the page. This is the first class that I have taken that has been truly inspiring. I wanted to come to class each and every day and I was eager to absorb as much as humanly possible. I learned so much more than I expected to learn and that is so satisfying. I could come to class and simply listen and ask questions and take it all in because I loved the topic; not just the telenovela stories themselves but the impact they have on the culture, the viewers and the Latin American society as a whole. I would come home and share things I learned in class with my friends, roommates and family members. This is how I know that I was really learning, because I felt myself wanting to educate others around me. I wanted everyone I knew to love the class even if they were not taking it. Anyone who crossed my path that may have been in Grady or in Latin American Studies I felt compelled to tell them about my “Spanish soap opera class” and how they HAD to take it if they were given the opportunity. I am so happy to have had the experience of taking this class and I know that it will continue to have an impact on me. I have a renewed interest in the Spanish language and more importantly the culture. I can take so much away from this class and that is what makes it truly inspirational. So even though this is cheesy I would just like to thank you, Dr. A, for making this class one of the best I have ever taken and thanks to all the actors, writers, youtubers , message boarders and everyone else that furthered my learning experience!
Although the lecture was extremely interesting and I especially liked learning about Padron’s unique endings, my true inspiration came when I was writing my course evaluation. Because my on-campus job primarily consists of typing up student evals for the UNIV courses, I normally do not write anything on teacher evals if given the opportunity. This is just because I know that students typically say the same thing over and over and I frankly empathize with the people who have to sit and type all of those up. However, I knew without a doubt that I was going to write today because even if all the comments are going to say the same thing, I guarantee its all good things. Those are my favorite evals to type, the positive ones, the ones where students love the teachers and feel that they have benefited from the class.
There was so much I wanted to say but just didn’t have the time or space on the page. This is the first class that I have taken that has been truly inspiring. I wanted to come to class each and every day and I was eager to absorb as much as humanly possible. I learned so much more than I expected to learn and that is so satisfying. I could come to class and simply listen and ask questions and take it all in because I loved the topic; not just the telenovela stories themselves but the impact they have on the culture, the viewers and the Latin American society as a whole. I would come home and share things I learned in class with my friends, roommates and family members. This is how I know that I was really learning, because I felt myself wanting to educate others around me. I wanted everyone I knew to love the class even if they were not taking it. Anyone who crossed my path that may have been in Grady or in Latin American Studies I felt compelled to tell them about my “Spanish soap opera class” and how they HAD to take it if they were given the opportunity. I am so happy to have had the experience of taking this class and I know that it will continue to have an impact on me. I have a renewed interest in the Spanish language and more importantly the culture. I can take so much away from this class and that is what makes it truly inspirational. So even though this is cheesy I would just like to thank you, Dr. A, for making this class one of the best I have ever taken and thanks to all the actors, writers, youtubers , message boarders and everyone else that furthered my learning experience!
Parting shots
As the semester winds up, I have a confession to make.
You've all heard me bitch about Los Ricos También Lloran and the horrible way in which Televisa royally screwed the editing. How bad it was. How it was unbearable.
But I confess: I was still a bit hooked.
The accelerating and increasing plot, the dramatic twists and turns, all of the insanity packed into 13 hours...it was a roller coaster that I was still hooked to. I realize this now when I look back at how I talk to my roommates about the plot of this telenovela and others that we've discussed in class. How my hand gesturing goes wild. How I get intense in talking about it.
I confess: I, too, am hooked.
The emotional race catches me and I MUST know what happens. I'm grateful for not having a TV, otherwise I may find myself stuck in front of the television every day like millions across the globe.
But nevertheless, I am hooked.
Hi, my name is Zak, and I'm a recovering telenovelaholic.
You've all heard me bitch about Los Ricos También Lloran and the horrible way in which Televisa royally screwed the editing. How bad it was. How it was unbearable.
But I confess: I was still a bit hooked.
The accelerating and increasing plot, the dramatic twists and turns, all of the insanity packed into 13 hours...it was a roller coaster that I was still hooked to. I realize this now when I look back at how I talk to my roommates about the plot of this telenovela and others that we've discussed in class. How my hand gesturing goes wild. How I get intense in talking about it.
I confess: I, too, am hooked.
The emotional race catches me and I MUST know what happens. I'm grateful for not having a TV, otherwise I may find myself stuck in front of the television every day like millions across the globe.
But nevertheless, I am hooked.
Hi, my name is Zak, and I'm a recovering telenovelaholic.
Final Thoughts
I really have loved our skype conversations in class this week!! You should have heard me try to explain this concept to my mom over the phone. This is a condensed version of how it went:
My mom: “sky?, skippy? what did you say?
Me: “no mom, Skype”
(then my father in the background) “Honey, its like Twitter”
My mom: “oh, Twitter! Cool!”
Me: “um… no its not like twitter at all actually”
When they finally let me explain, they thought what we are doing in class this week is really amazing. I am not just making fun of my parents here, I think it is really amazing what technology lets us do as students now that my parents didn’t get to enjoy when they were in school. And I, like my parents, also think it’s been really amazing to get to talk this week with our guests.
I really enjoyed our conversation with Alberto Gomez because it got me once again thinking a lot about the consumption side of telenovelas. Gomez mentioned that he needed to make Telenovelas that the audience will enjoy and receive well and I immediately wondered if it was as simple as that in terms of audience consumption. I definitely agree that audiences play a huge role in the success or failure of a telenovela, but I also wonder if writers and networks, who so often play it safe with telenovela themes and plotlines, can really know if an audience would reject a more daring telenovela.
It seems like such a never-ending circle between production and consumption that it is difficult, or maybe impossible, to discover who shapes who more. Do audiences choose their plot lines or are their preferences dictated by what is available on TV? I know its not that simple but I wish I could dissect this relationship further. I want to know if one of Leonardo Padron’s telenovelas would be successful in Mexico or in the United States, even though the telenovlea tastes of these countries are labeled as more rosa. I think that Ruxi proved to us in our discussion on Monday that these more daring telenovelas are not just a Venezuelan taste and that people all over the world enjoy a telenovela that is as ruptura as Padron’s telenovelas.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
On Despecho
I'd been wanting to post on this since I learned about it.
I love the idea of despecho. Absolutely love it.
Having this concept of full-blown grief, of drinking yourself stupid and singing songs of "You-bitch-how-could-you-do-this-to-me-I-love-you-no-come-back-I'll-kill-you"...MAN, we Americans can't stack up to that!
Despecho is something I would describe as a superemotion. It's emotion to its most extreme, so involved and intense that the idea of it involves specific actions on top of specific feelings. If you haven't wanted to grind broken glass into your bare palms to substitute the pain of your broken heart...you're not there yet.
The most interesting thing to me is that in a way we DO have that sort of emotion here. However, instead of being embraced as it has in Latin culture...we pass it off as being emo. It has negative connotations, and when people are experiencing it they're told to "suck it up."
America will never fully understand the concept of despecho until we can learn to embrace emotion the way Latin culture does.
And until then, American soap operas do not stand a chance of being anything NEAR telenovelas.
I love the idea of despecho. Absolutely love it.
Having this concept of full-blown grief, of drinking yourself stupid and singing songs of "You-bitch-how-could-you-do-this-to-me-I-love-you-no-come-back-I'll-kill-you"...MAN, we Americans can't stack up to that!
Despecho is something I would describe as a superemotion. It's emotion to its most extreme, so involved and intense that the idea of it involves specific actions on top of specific feelings. If you haven't wanted to grind broken glass into your bare palms to substitute the pain of your broken heart...you're not there yet.
The most interesting thing to me is that in a way we DO have that sort of emotion here. However, instead of being embraced as it has in Latin culture...we pass it off as being emo. It has negative connotations, and when people are experiencing it they're told to "suck it up."
America will never fully understand the concept of despecho until we can learn to embrace emotion the way Latin culture does.
And until then, American soap operas do not stand a chance of being anything NEAR telenovelas.
Telenovelas Overseas
Speaking with Ruxana in class was an interesting experience.
I was relatively uninformed when I walked in to class, so imagine my surprise when we begin talking to a woman, not much older than we students are, that lives in Romania and has a deep passion for telenovelas.
I had been prepared to speak to Hispanics, Latinos, South Americans, and the like.
I must admit: I wasn't expecting Romania.
We had been speaking again and again about how telenovelas travel to non-Latin countries. We had examples in all our presentations and lectures (the "Betty La Fea" of Greece and Norway, for instance).
But I suppose it never really sank in just HOW MUCH the telenovela can travel until Ruxana spoke with us. It was then that I truly got the picture:
Telenovelas are EVERYWHERE.
They're more than entertainment. They're more than a force localized to the countries of origin. They're a global force that travels far and doesn't stop, reaching all corners it can.
And it's fascinating. I may never fully understand why telenovelas spread to so many varying countries, but I'll never ceased to be amazed by it either,
I was relatively uninformed when I walked in to class, so imagine my surprise when we begin talking to a woman, not much older than we students are, that lives in Romania and has a deep passion for telenovelas.
I had been prepared to speak to Hispanics, Latinos, South Americans, and the like.
I must admit: I wasn't expecting Romania.
We had been speaking again and again about how telenovelas travel to non-Latin countries. We had examples in all our presentations and lectures (the "Betty La Fea" of Greece and Norway, for instance).
But I suppose it never really sank in just HOW MUCH the telenovela can travel until Ruxana spoke with us. It was then that I truly got the picture:
Telenovelas are EVERYWHERE.
They're more than entertainment. They're more than a force localized to the countries of origin. They're a global force that travels far and doesn't stop, reaching all corners it can.
And it's fascinating. I may never fully understand why telenovelas spread to so many varying countries, but I'll never ceased to be amazed by it either,
End of the Season
During the middle of the semester every year, I usually think to myself, " I am so ready for this class to be over.", but somehow I have yet to think that way about this class. No matter how tired or hungry I have been on certain days, I have no hesitation in walking back to the 2nd floor of the SLC for our Telenovelas class. And, I get excited to be there five minutes early to watch those intense random five minutes of a telenovela before class starts.
I'm not ready for this class to end yet. Dr.A was so right when she said there just isn't enough time for class. While I feel we have covered so many topics from the days of consumption, representation, regulation, production, and all the juicy details in between, I feel as if there is so much more we could discuss, and that is my favorite part about our class. It seems every day I walk out of class telenovela, or latin culture struck. Questions that others in the class ask are often questions I'm thinking in my mind too. I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity of getting to know so much about the various aspects of telenovelas from someone so tied to the telenovela industry. I am so much more intrigued by the Latin Culture. This class has hands down been one of the most interesting and exciting classes at UGA.
I'm not ready for this class to end yet. Dr.A was so right when she said there just isn't enough time for class. While I feel we have covered so many topics from the days of consumption, representation, regulation, production, and all the juicy details in between, I feel as if there is so much more we could discuss, and that is my favorite part about our class. It seems every day I walk out of class telenovela, or latin culture struck. Questions that others in the class ask are often questions I'm thinking in my mind too. I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity of getting to know so much about the various aspects of telenovelas from someone so tied to the telenovela industry. I am so much more intrigued by the Latin Culture. This class has hands down been one of the most interesting and exciting classes at UGA.
I love advertising...well the good kind. The kind that makes you giggle to yourself, post it as your Facebook status, or Tweet about it to your friends.
I heard a terrible radio spot the other day. Taco Bell, which makes a mockery, out of Mexican culture and becomes ammo for anyone who can say four words in Spanish did it. The radio ad was called a "Taco Novela." What?
The ad, which I wasn't able to find online, highlighted the interaction of a protagonist who wanted Taco Bell. The male protagonist wooed her with his words...to be honest I was so dumbfounded with the ad it was hard to get the strategy. Bottom line: Taco Bell wants to align itself with the Telenovela. But think about it: besides the 24 of us...there really isn't the demographic for people wanting cheap fake Mexican food and who understands the relevancy.
As you can tell I'm offended by the use of our dear dear dear telenovelas. I'm protective.
But then after Googling the ad for several minutes I found someone's tweet. Mayito Gomez says, "lmao taco Novela's? hahaha thanks taco bell." So someone finds it amusing.
I'm glad, I guess?
I heard a terrible radio spot the other day. Taco Bell, which makes a mockery, out of Mexican culture and becomes ammo for anyone who can say four words in Spanish did it. The radio ad was called a "Taco Novela." What?
The ad, which I wasn't able to find online, highlighted the interaction of a protagonist who wanted Taco Bell. The male protagonist wooed her with his words...to be honest I was so dumbfounded with the ad it was hard to get the strategy. Bottom line: Taco Bell wants to align itself with the Telenovela. But think about it: besides the 24 of us...there really isn't the demographic for people wanting cheap fake Mexican food and who understands the relevancy.
As you can tell I'm offended by the use of our dear dear dear telenovelas. I'm protective.
But then after Googling the ad for several minutes I found someone's tweet. Mayito Gomez says, "lmao taco Novela's? hahaha thanks taco bell." So someone finds it amusing.
I'm glad, I guess?
Creative vs. Commercial
One thing that intrigued me in the talk with Alberto Gomez was the conversation about the conflicts between his creativity and what the industry wants. He mentioned that he writes to please audiences which completely makes sense. As I've been thinking about it, I suppose there would be no TV/movie industry if writers just did whatever they wanted.
I think this applies to actors and actresses, as well. One thing that I remember about Marisa Roman is that she would put her creative twists on her roles that Padron did not initially write. This is an example of when the actress can take the role and make it her own. And it made her character even more loved!
One thing that I hope is that the telenovela industry doesn't overshadow the creativeness of the telenovela, especially telenovelas de ruptura. I think that telenovelas rosas will always be popular. As we talked about yesterday, there are some things that just work every time with every audience. However, telenovelas de ruptura are different and more progressive. I hope this genre keeps getting bigger and appealing to more people. I think that telenovelas de ruptura have the potential to take the creativity of telenovela-making to another level.
I think this applies to actors and actresses, as well. One thing that I remember about Marisa Roman is that she would put her creative twists on her roles that Padron did not initially write. This is an example of when the actress can take the role and make it her own. And it made her character even more loved!
One thing that I hope is that the telenovela industry doesn't overshadow the creativeness of the telenovela, especially telenovelas de ruptura. I think that telenovelas rosas will always be popular. As we talked about yesterday, there are some things that just work every time with every audience. However, telenovelas de ruptura are different and more progressive. I hope this genre keeps getting bigger and appealing to more people. I think that telenovelas de ruptura have the potential to take the creativity of telenovela-making to another level.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
A look back...
As I am sitting here writing my final paper, I have begun to really think about the semester.
I'm not going to lie... I was pretty hesitant when I decided to take a class on Telenovelas, but as the semester has continued, I have developed a completely new understanding and interest for them.
Looking at it all, I have thought more about telenovelas than most other subjects in my regular life. I have really dissected and analyzed all of the aspects from representation to identity to consumption to regulation to production. My fascination lies in the intricacy of the world of telenovelas, especially their social impact and representation, something we were very successful at exploring this semester.
These skype conversations we have been having are really quite insightful. We have talked with viewers and writers, and we are about to talk with an actor. While studying them from the outside has taught me so much, direct question and answer have really topped off the semester.
Words cannot begin to describe how I excited I was to listen to Alberto Gomez talk today! He wrote one of the first telenovelas that I ever watched on Univision (back before Dish Network entered my life): Gata Salvaje.
But here's what seemed so interesting to me: if I had not been in this class I would have never known that the writer of this guilty-pleasure telenovela was Venezuelan. Not that Gata Salvaje was loyal to any particular culture or accent, I remember being surprised that everyone seemed to have a different accent and that the scenery reminded me of Miami (that because it was filmed in Miami!). I think that Alberto Gomez's ability to write telenovela's rosas that appeal to all cultures is why his works like Gata Salvaje do so well outside of the spanish-speaking world.
If I recal correctly, someone does give away a child and, though we griped and tried to act disinterested, my entire household was always near the television when it was time for Gata Salvaje!
But here's what seemed so interesting to me: if I had not been in this class I would have never known that the writer of this guilty-pleasure telenovela was Venezuelan. Not that Gata Salvaje was loyal to any particular culture or accent, I remember being surprised that everyone seemed to have a different accent and that the scenery reminded me of Miami (that because it was filmed in Miami!). I think that Alberto Gomez's ability to write telenovela's rosas that appeal to all cultures is why his works like Gata Salvaje do so well outside of the spanish-speaking world.
If I recal correctly, someone does give away a child and, though we griped and tried to act disinterested, my entire household was always near the television when it was time for Gata Salvaje!
Will the telenovela ever die?
It's safe to say American soap operas have seen better days. Although far from dead, they aren't getting the ratings they used to. Could the same ever happen to the telenovela industry? With such a gigantic following in Latin America alone, it seems telenovelas may outlive humans, maybe even planet Earth.
Now with new markets opening up all around the world, telenovelas have situated themselves alongside U.S. entertainment giants. But unlike the American TV and film industries, the telenovela world is somewhat unique. American movies are known for their over-the-top special effects (and budgets), and their TV shows are notably catchy with high production values and beautiful actors. But telenovelas don't rely on deep pockets or blow-you-away effects... so what puts them along front runners of the globalization train?
Beautiful people way be one reason, but I think people are suckers for the story. One thing that a housewife in Venezuela and a teenager in Romania can both relate to is a story with as many twists and turns as the highways between them. Sure, some cultural and societal themes may translate perfectly or not at all, but a story line with hooks, cliffs, and train wrecks will leech onto anything and everything in its path.
It takes a strong will to look away. And it's going to take "the big bang" to kill the telenovela.
An Open Minded Industry
Today's talk with Alberto Gomez really showed me how different the telenovela industry is from Hollywood. Its amazing to me that people from the telenovela industry are so willing to talk to the class. I feel like it would take so much more money and time and effort just to have an actor or actress from Hollywood talk to the class. I think telenovela writers and actors are so much more open to the idea of being studied and observed. I wonder if this could be evidence of the difference in the two cultures. While Americans are so much more private and individualistic, Latin Americans are much more open about their culture and their lives.
Alberto's happy demeanor made it easy to relax and ask questions. This is how it was when Marisa came to visit the class. What I also enjoyed much more is that he was so willing to give potential writers a chance. The fact that he asked about writers in the class at the end of the talk made me realize how open the industry is. Although being in this industry does not guarantee success, it is open to new writers and ideas.
Alberto's happy demeanor made it easy to relax and ask questions. This is how it was when Marisa came to visit the class. What I also enjoyed much more is that he was so willing to give potential writers a chance. The fact that he asked about writers in the class at the end of the talk made me realize how open the industry is. Although being in this industry does not guarantee success, it is open to new writers and ideas.
Romania: A World Away that Hits So Close to Home
Before this class, I knew what telenovelas were, but had a very vague understanding of their worldwide implications. From my time spent in both Spain and Costa Rica, I thought telenovelas were the epic and universal love stories, but at the same time were very culturally exclusive. Being an outsider for such a short amount of time, I came to the conclusion that telenovelas weren't overarching productions that broadcast in countries outside of Spanish speaking ones. Obviously, I was wrong.
On Monday, we talked to Ruxandra Ciobanu, a telenovela junkie all the way from Romania. Ruxi says she started watching telenovelas about six years ago, when she was 17 years old. I'm about Ruxi's age, and six years ago, I was watching melodramatic teen dramas like "The O.C." Come to think about it, the similarities between "The O.C." and the typical telenovela are incredible.
For one, both have gorgeous protagonists. Secondly, the primary love story involves two lovers from extremely different backgrounds; the girl, a model-esque beauty queen from wealthy Newport Beach, and the boy, a bad-boy gone good from the outskirts of L.A., Chino. Also, the antagonists in the show were typical representations of the average telenovela. Whereas both the protagonists were blond, and fair-skinned, the antagonists were their complete opposites. Dark-haired, tan beauties. It never once occurred to me until now that the shows I was watching at 17 weren't authentically "American." Rather, I'm learning now, that the melting pot I live in adapted a structure from the Latin American world that appeals equally to my generation: the telenovela.
Ruxi said that she does watch some American shows, but mostly she watches telenovelas. At first this surprised me. I mean, what does Romania have in common with Latin America? But then again, what does Romania have in common with the United States? Nevertheless, I guess it goes without saying that our conversation with Ruxi changed my "American Arrogance." Above all, Ruxi said that she related to the telenovela world better than other shows because the much of latin american culture reflects Romanian culture-something I had no clue of until now.
So, before I go into anymore mindless rambling, I'll end with saying that I now know that the Telenovela world is much more prevalent than I initially anticipated. Instead of being only relevant to their home countries, I now know that Telenovelas are just as popular as much as American shows abroad, and in fact, some of the most popular American shows derive themselves from a telenovela format. Hmmm...I wonder if Ruxi likes "The O.C" too...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Viva Hollywood!
Has anyone watched "Viva Hollywood" on VH1 a couple seasons back? I think it aired last year, but I can't completely remember. It was a "reality" TV series that was looking for the next hot and new telenovela star, and the prize was a contract with Telemundo for the winner (Dr. A, do you know if this really happened?). I never watched it, but I remember skimming through channels and seeing it a few times while being really confused. At that time, I hadn't really been exposed to the telenovela world and so I thought it was pretty random that VH1 was airing a show about telenovelas. I'm wondering about this show, because I suddenly stumbled across it again and started thinking about consumption. Telenovelas have gotten to the point where American owned companies are making reality TV shows about them (a pretty big deal, I'd say!), but at the same time I'm assuming the show didn't do too well since it was only on for one season.
Either way, the episodes are online and I think I might start watching them! Supposedly, the situations are even more over the top than regular telenovelas so we'll see!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Consumption. mm..mm...good
Learning about how other people consume telenovelas is interesting. It was interesting to hear Ruxi speak of her personal experiences with telenovelas. She's a very dutiful telenovela viewer who goes to great extent to get access to her beloved telenovelas. The way people consumed telenovelas was so interesting to me that I actually interviewed three of my Hispanic friends and asked them about their perosnal experiences/perspectives about telenovelas. These 3 Hispanic female college students who have varying telenovela viewing habits and who have came to the States at different stages in their life. I believe there is some sort of correlation between the amount of time they spent in the States to their telenovela viewing habits. One girl who was born and raised here never watches telenovelas. The other girl who grew up in South America watches telenovelas dutifully when she was there and still watches them to this day. Another girl who has spent half of her life in South America and the other half of her life in the States watches them on occassion. This is what I am writing about for my final paper. It's interesting stuff!
The World Wide Web
Our class interview with Ruxandra Ciobanu concluded on a note of illegality... the globally accepted kind that governments are having a hard time nailing: free distribution of copyrighted materials online.
I am currently in the Grady Communication Law class and our professor and author of the course text book, admits that current U.S. copyright laws are insufficient for regulating open forum websites such as YouTube. The early law did not foresee a medium such as YouTube being so public and common for anyone to post nearly any video/audio, available for viewing and downloading.
Dr. A mentioned a time when telenovela studios deleted files of many, many full episodes previously available online, and now there are viewing restrictions according to country. Certain novelas are available in certain locations around the world.
And yet, the public will find a way to watch what they want to watch. Dr. A admits that it is sometimes with a thin hope that the industry won't find out. On the other hand, Ciobanu said she waited YEARS for Ciudad Bendita to become available for her, in Eastern Europe, to watch online.
What is the standard? The Internet is global, so should the standards for illegal downloading be global as well?
Nearly all the popular U.S. TV series are now available to watch on sites like Hulu and even YouTube, despite the fact that our government is perhaps the most strict in regulating copyright practices, performances and technology. Could it be that a global trend towards immediate post-broadcast online availability has begun?
I am currently in the Grady Communication Law class and our professor and author of the course text book, admits that current U.S. copyright laws are insufficient for regulating open forum websites such as YouTube. The early law did not foresee a medium such as YouTube being so public and common for anyone to post nearly any video/audio, available for viewing and downloading.
Dr. A mentioned a time when telenovela studios deleted files of many, many full episodes previously available online, and now there are viewing restrictions according to country. Certain novelas are available in certain locations around the world.
And yet, the public will find a way to watch what they want to watch. Dr. A admits that it is sometimes with a thin hope that the industry won't find out. On the other hand, Ciobanu said she waited YEARS for Ciudad Bendita to become available for her, in Eastern Europe, to watch online.
What is the standard? The Internet is global, so should the standards for illegal downloading be global as well?
Nearly all the popular U.S. TV series are now available to watch on sites like Hulu and even YouTube, despite the fact that our government is perhaps the most strict in regulating copyright practices, performances and technology. Could it be that a global trend towards immediate post-broadcast online availability has begun?
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Global Distribution
Why is it that telenovelas are so unevenly distributed?
Is it due to who has the better content? Do some countries really just make better telenovelas, so good that the whole world wants them? Many countries would rather you believe that. Why wouldn't Country X want you to believe that its telenovelas are the most superior? It makes for great easy marketing. But it's more than that.
Politics can play into it--sometimes countries just don't like each other, and because of whatever controversy or issue they simply don't want to share their toys.
It can come down to cost--maybe some networks can't afford to export their product too much, so they get stuck behind borders.
But in all honesty, I believe it ultimately comes down to presuppositions. People have stereotypes in their head that certain groups in certain countries make telenovelas "better." So they stick to those ones, and hardly give others a chance. And when they do, they still don't change their opinion too much.
The networks are the worst about this--it's the same reason that rosa is pushed harder than de ruptura. Somewhere along the line, everyone got it in their heads that rosa sells better. So no matter how good de ruptura can be, rosa always gets the push and leaves de ruptura behind in the dust. Likewise, countries like Mexico get stereotyped as the "best-selling" telenovelas. Thus, everyone takes them in. Other countries that don't have as much of a push or a precident get left behind.
It's impossible to change the minds of the people up at the top. Thus, it's up to the individual viewer to search out telenovelas of various origins to learn what is truly best to their taste.
Is it due to who has the better content? Do some countries really just make better telenovelas, so good that the whole world wants them? Many countries would rather you believe that. Why wouldn't Country X want you to believe that its telenovelas are the most superior? It makes for great easy marketing. But it's more than that.
Politics can play into it--sometimes countries just don't like each other, and because of whatever controversy or issue they simply don't want to share their toys.
It can come down to cost--maybe some networks can't afford to export their product too much, so they get stuck behind borders.
But in all honesty, I believe it ultimately comes down to presuppositions. People have stereotypes in their head that certain groups in certain countries make telenovelas "better." So they stick to those ones, and hardly give others a chance. And when they do, they still don't change their opinion too much.
The networks are the worst about this--it's the same reason that rosa is pushed harder than de ruptura. Somewhere along the line, everyone got it in their heads that rosa sells better. So no matter how good de ruptura can be, rosa always gets the push and leaves de ruptura behind in the dust. Likewise, countries like Mexico get stereotyped as the "best-selling" telenovelas. Thus, everyone takes them in. Other countries that don't have as much of a push or a precident get left behind.
It's impossible to change the minds of the people up at the top. Thus, it's up to the individual viewer to search out telenovelas of various origins to learn what is truly best to their taste.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Telenovelas: Better than Rosetta Stone?
The thought of someone religiously following a telenovela in non-Spanish speaking countries didn’t really connect with me until today. My brother’s girlfriend is from Ukraine and today we were talking about which classes we’re taking in school. I mentioned the telenovela class and she exclaimed “Ohhh man! My grandma in Ukraine loooooooves those! And she learned Spanish from them! It’s crazy!” It made me laugh, and really appreciate how Spanish has become a global language in part because of novelas. She said her grandma and mom both watch a block of novelas from 8 to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, always. They don’t even watch dubbed/subtitled versions anymore – they bought Spanish dictionaries to help whenever they don’t understand something.
I’m so impressed at the dedication! And again blown away by whatever addictive quality they put into storylines that manages to cross cultural bounds. It's funny because so many people I know would never see telenovelas as an opportunity to learn Spanish. Everyone flips straight past them without a second thought. They're passing up free Spanish lessons apparently!
I’m so impressed at the dedication! And again blown away by whatever addictive quality they put into storylines that manages to cross cultural bounds. It's funny because so many people I know would never see telenovelas as an opportunity to learn Spanish. Everyone flips straight past them without a second thought. They're passing up free Spanish lessons apparently!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Which came first?
As Americans 100 percent of our popular tv-shows are made in the U.S. We don't even like to have accents in our shows (think Hugh Laurie in House). We like what we watch because it caters to us. Similarly, each Latin American country caters to certain characteristics and national desires in regards to telenovelas.
So for me the different telenovela powerhouses are really interesting. It is a sign of the global world that Mexican telenovelas have become so definitive in the genera. Almost every country gets a large percentage of their telenovelas from Mexico. Could you imagine getting one third of our t.v. shows from Australia? At the most, I think we might get 1% of our shows from Britain and the majority of those are weird and on PBS.
Apparently, Latin Americans are broadening their world view far more then Americans.
Even if the majority of shows being imported are Mexican, Ecuador had a fascinating pie chart. Ecuador has no preconceived notions of what a telenovela should be, because they don't make any shows of their own. Thus, they get the best telenovelas from all over South America. They are inundated with globalization. I wonder what the Ecuadorian world view is like, I'd guess pretty broad. They must understand quite a bit more about other cultures, I'd even bet that telenovelas have improved tolerance.
I wonder if telenovelas going international are a cause of a global world or a symptom. It's a bit like the chicken and the egg. Does understanding lead to globalization or globalization lead to understanding?
So for me the different telenovela powerhouses are really interesting. It is a sign of the global world that Mexican telenovelas have become so definitive in the genera. Almost every country gets a large percentage of their telenovelas from Mexico. Could you imagine getting one third of our t.v. shows from Australia? At the most, I think we might get 1% of our shows from Britain and the majority of those are weird and on PBS.
Apparently, Latin Americans are broadening their world view far more then Americans.
Even if the majority of shows being imported are Mexican, Ecuador had a fascinating pie chart. Ecuador has no preconceived notions of what a telenovela should be, because they don't make any shows of their own. Thus, they get the best telenovelas from all over South America. They are inundated with globalization. I wonder what the Ecuadorian world view is like, I'd guess pretty broad. They must understand quite a bit more about other cultures, I'd even bet that telenovelas have improved tolerance.
I wonder if telenovelas going international are a cause of a global world or a symptom. It's a bit like the chicken and the egg. Does understanding lead to globalization or globalization lead to understanding?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
La Musica
In learning about telenovela musical accompaniment, it stands out as completely unique and potentially more creative to me than most American soap operas (though we have, as a class, clearly established how different these two industries really are). The Grey's Anatomy (though not a soap opera, the following is similar to that of telenovelas) soundtrack is a compilation of popular artist's songs. Every season the soundtrack could be a substitute for the "NOW ...87" CD.
Telenovelas, on the other hand, have artists create unique songs specifically for a telenovela. I think this reflects the overlapping circles in latinamerican culture of actors, musicians and models, for example. Roque Valero, like many telenovela actors before him, became a musical performer, two times famous for his talent.
Each telenovela has a characteristic song that sets the tone for the telenovela's theme or a specific lead character in it. Good directors put much timem and energy into choosing an artist for this song, and Pedron even went so far as to write his own poetic lyrics for one such song.
While some American shows do have a catchy tune for the intro, it hardly every repeats in the middle of each episode, and never will an artist take the song on musical tour.
Granted, the "suspense" and "romance" musical segments produced for each episode of a telenovela seem somewhat immature, the shows put more energy into creating unique complete songs for their shows than American series do.
Telenovelas, on the other hand, have artists create unique songs specifically for a telenovela. I think this reflects the overlapping circles in latinamerican culture of actors, musicians and models, for example. Roque Valero, like many telenovela actors before him, became a musical performer, two times famous for his talent.
Each telenovela has a characteristic song that sets the tone for the telenovela's theme or a specific lead character in it. Good directors put much timem and energy into choosing an artist for this song, and Pedron even went so far as to write his own poetic lyrics for one such song.
While some American shows do have a catchy tune for the intro, it hardly every repeats in the middle of each episode, and never will an artist take the song on musical tour.
Granted, the "suspense" and "romance" musical segments produced for each episode of a telenovela seem somewhat immature, the shows put more energy into creating unique complete songs for their shows than American series do.
Monday, November 16, 2009
New respect for production
I always imagined that making a movie or TV show would be demanding and stressful at times, but I never really grasped the extent to which that is true. When I think of a TV show production, I tend to just think about the script, the direction and the acting. But since I began my own film production, me eyes have been opened a bit wider.
A few friends and I have been putting together a short film for Latin American Cinema class. We've had basically all semester to get the script together and start filming. It's a lot more work than I ever fathomed. Finalizing the script was hard enough, then comes the real production. Nailing down locations, coordinating schedules, building props, and trying to keep everyone believing in the project. Then once everything is organized, it's hard to find enough daylight when everyone can shoot.
Our film is supposed to be five minutes. I simply can't imagine shooting 30-40 scenes a day. They would have to fun like fluid machines, but I know that's not the case. A trillion things can go wrong, and some do, but they manage to grind it out anyway. Bravo, telenovela world.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Invaluable Insight
I think the production part of the class has been the most interesting topic for me. The globalization and consumption of telenovelas certainly made me reconsider my initial judgment of them, but the production aspect has changed my point of view even more. It shows all of the hard work and planning that goes into creating each chapter, and I am able to appreciate the creative aspects more fully now that I understand the tremendous pressure the writers, actors, and producers endure to meet industry demands. It's amazing how everything comes together in this environment.
I love Dr. A’s videos from observing production – it almost feels like we’re there with the crew.
I also thought it was interesting that the professor we mentioned in class denounced telenovelas. I get the same anti-novela vibe from my aunt and cousins, and my high school Spanish teacher also. Before this class I assumed their opinions were right – that every telenovela was a low quality, high drama form of entertainment for passive viewers. I am so glad to see that change in myself. Although some industry-driven novelas do still fit that category in my mind, I can recognize the exceptions and look forward to seeing the progression in quality as the genre expands.
I’ve started making a list of telenovelas I want to watch. I’m graduating in December and will just be working next spring – I know exactly what I’ll be doing in my free time! I feel like I mention this in every post, but I absolutely love this class. It isn’t exactly what I expected, in a good way, and it’s an opportunity that most people don’t even realize exists!
I love Dr. A’s videos from observing production – it almost feels like we’re there with the crew.
I also thought it was interesting that the professor we mentioned in class denounced telenovelas. I get the same anti-novela vibe from my aunt and cousins, and my high school Spanish teacher also. Before this class I assumed their opinions were right – that every telenovela was a low quality, high drama form of entertainment for passive viewers. I am so glad to see that change in myself. Although some industry-driven novelas do still fit that category in my mind, I can recognize the exceptions and look forward to seeing the progression in quality as the genre expands.
I’ve started making a list of telenovelas I want to watch. I’m graduating in December and will just be working next spring – I know exactly what I’ll be doing in my free time! I feel like I mention this in every post, but I absolutely love this class. It isn’t exactly what I expected, in a good way, and it’s an opportunity that most people don’t even realize exists!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Models turned Actors
I find it interesting that actors are able to start up singing careers, and vice versa, so easily in the telenovela world. Dr. A has told us about several models who have been brought into telenovelas simply because they needed another pretty face to attract viewers. Although it is usually clear that they are models and not actors by their lack of acting abilities, they are still accepted as telenovela stars.
I know that in the telenovela I studied, Amigas Y Rivales, there were a couple of actors who were former members of singing groups. One character in particular, Johnny, was played by an actor who was brought on simply for his looks. Even though the audience knew that Johnny was not a true actor, they still followed his love story intensely. I'm not saying that Johnny was the most popular character by any means, but he did have an important role in the telenovela and the audience accepted him as that character. In the United States I think that people would have had a harder time taking him seriously. We typically associate characters with actors, not the other way around.
There have also been several cases in which the telenovela star has been converted into a singing sensation because of their role in telenovales. I feel that we are very pessimistic in the United States by always assuming that someone can't do something before they prove that they can. We are so amazed when someone does have the ability to act, sing and dance that we even gave these people a special name, triple threat.
Overall, I would say that it is much easier to cross over into a different field in the world of telenovelas than in the United States. When a telenovela airs, it's not just a select few people watching, it's the whole country most of the time. It's easier for singers to carry over their fan base from acting to help them jump start their new career. As for models turned actors, I think we all know that beauty is one of the most important aspects of a telenovela. I think that when production decides to select a model to be a member of the cast they are living according to this philosophy: You can never have too many beautiful people in a telenovela.
I know that in the telenovela I studied, Amigas Y Rivales, there were a couple of actors who were former members of singing groups. One character in particular, Johnny, was played by an actor who was brought on simply for his looks. Even though the audience knew that Johnny was not a true actor, they still followed his love story intensely. I'm not saying that Johnny was the most popular character by any means, but he did have an important role in the telenovela and the audience accepted him as that character. In the United States I think that people would have had a harder time taking him seriously. We typically associate characters with actors, not the other way around.
There have also been several cases in which the telenovela star has been converted into a singing sensation because of their role in telenovales. I feel that we are very pessimistic in the United States by always assuming that someone can't do something before they prove that they can. We are so amazed when someone does have the ability to act, sing and dance that we even gave these people a special name, triple threat.
Overall, I would say that it is much easier to cross over into a different field in the world of telenovelas than in the United States. When a telenovela airs, it's not just a select few people watching, it's the whole country most of the time. It's easier for singers to carry over their fan base from acting to help them jump start their new career. As for models turned actors, I think we all know that beauty is one of the most important aspects of a telenovela. I think that when production decides to select a model to be a member of the cast they are living according to this philosophy: You can never have too many beautiful people in a telenovela.
Telenovelas on E! Network's "The Soup"
I love E! Network's "The Soup" with Joel McHale. Two weeks ago he made fun of a clip about the dramatic music and facial shots in a telenovela. In the clip what appeared to be the antagonist was clipping coupons from a newspaper with the incidental music blaring. Then the shot went to see the what I believed to be the protagonist for her response to the clipping. It was SO funny, but I think the experience in this class made it even funnier.
Check out this clip he did of another telenovela covered by "The Soup" in the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lxka9kfsvU
The premise of the show is to cover all the bases of television (reality, morning show anchors, game shows, etc.)...telenovelas included. Although in this context it's funny, even E! realizes the importance and reach of telenovelas and can appreciate their quirks.
Check out this clip he did of another telenovela covered by "The Soup" in the past:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lxka9kfsvU
The premise of the show is to cover all the bases of television (reality, morning show anchors, game shows, etc.)...telenovelas included. Although in this context it's funny, even E! realizes the importance and reach of telenovelas and can appreciate their quirks.
Out of control
I love how going over production in this class has perfectly aligned with my Tele3210 film project! Seeing behind the scenes footage of the telenovela shootings has actually helped me while filming for my own short, since I'm just a beginner. My group has just started filming recently, and oh my goodness, it is EXHAUSTING. You would never think that so much work actually goes into making a film/show/whatever until you actually experience it, and I can only imagine how stressed the entire production team gets! I've only had a small taste of what production is supposed to be--our class is only making a 3 minute short, and my stress levels are already off the scales.
I think the hardest thing about this job is that a lot of times, there are just things that you can't control during production--an actor might get sick, some equipment might break during the set, a prop is forgotten--all while you have a deadline to meet. It's not a job like being a scientist where everything can be calculated for you and you can prepare to the fullest extent. In these filming crews, there is only so much that you can prepare for and the rest you have to leave to God and pray for the best. I honestly have no idea how these people do this as their profession, but I definitely have a new respect for them and I definitely understand how Dr. A said that a lot of the people involved sprout grey hairs early on!
Gossip Girl
The talk about gossip magazines today was very intriguing today. How is it possible for an entire group of noteworthy publications to write the same story about a totally made-up telenovela without a reliable source? I can understand the gossip magazines writing "sources say this actor is writing a telenovela named so and so with the following plot..."
Gossip magazines like that even exist here. Generally, though, there is no guessing as to the plots, necessarily, except for "someone is going to die." Our gossip magazines always leave it up to chance-- "our sources say that a characer will die tonight on Flash Forward," but would never have an entire plot of an entire show or series.
I am not one to read gossip magazines; I don't care who's dating whom, who got liposuction where, who's in rehab. Because of this, I could be totally wrong about my entire post, but this is just what I have been led to believe. I also feel like our magazines tend to not focus necessarily on the show itself, but rather the actors who are on the show. Why the difference in the two cultures?
Gossip magazines like that even exist here. Generally, though, there is no guessing as to the plots, necessarily, except for "someone is going to die." Our gossip magazines always leave it up to chance-- "our sources say that a characer will die tonight on Flash Forward," but would never have an entire plot of an entire show or series.
I am not one to read gossip magazines; I don't care who's dating whom, who got liposuction where, who's in rehab. Because of this, I could be totally wrong about my entire post, but this is just what I have been led to believe. I also feel like our magazines tend to not focus necessarily on the show itself, but rather the actors who are on the show. Why the difference in the two cultures?
Telenovela Characters and the Actor
What I have always found interesting for Hollywood actors, Latin American actors, actors all over the world is the fascination the public has in their personal lives. I have to admit I love knowing the down low on actors/actresses for some reason, so I do not have a huge problem with the press and paparazzi. I also think that knowing about an actor or actresses life, allows the public to feel more connected to a character they play. However, I am entertained by the way an audience can have a hard time distinguishing the role the character is playing and the real actor.
For example, in this class we have discussed many times how a fan base falls in love with a certain character in a telenovela. I was so troubled by the one Brazilian actress who was shot by her telenovela "lover" in real life.
I thought it was amazing when we talked about Dainella from La Vida Enterra, recovering from cancer and coming back to the telenovela to finish her role.
It is interesting to see how characters roles can influence their real life and how real life can influence characters.
For example, in this class we have discussed many times how a fan base falls in love with a certain character in a telenovela. I was so troubled by the one Brazilian actress who was shot by her telenovela "lover" in real life.
I thought it was amazing when we talked about Dainella from La Vida Enterra, recovering from cancer and coming back to the telenovela to finish her role.
It is interesting to see how characters roles can influence their real life and how real life can influence characters.
Censorship
After talking about censorship in telenovelas, I wish the networks in Venezuela wouldn't censor so much of the scripts. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with addressing social/economic issues in telenovela episodes. Why not push the limit and see how far they can go instead of act in fear and change the scripts. Especially when today we saw how tiny the statements were. None of the statements came out and said "I dislike Chavez and his government." All the statements did were talk about how sometimes food can be scarce or that cities can have crime. They would be so much more real if they would stop beating around the bush and not edit the scenes they think will cause controversy.
I looked up the topic of censorship as it relates to Chavez and found an interesting newspaper article. This particuar article, "Chavez denies TV, license, stoking censorship debate" by Simon Romero, talks about the television company RCTV. Apparently, RCTV was a very popular, well known station in Venezuela. However, in early 2007, Chavez shut this network down by choosing not to renew their contract. The article talks about how Chavez thought RCTV was personally attacking his government with their programming and shows, and this is ultimately why he decided to shut them down. I guess he felt that they could influence the people, and did not like how he and his government were being portrayed. He caught a lot of controversy, because many thought he was abusing his power and acting unjustly.
Instances like this could explain why networks are hesitant to include material that may offend the government. I guess it goes to show that maybe pushing the limits isn't always the best idea, especially with someone like Chavez in charge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/world/americas/01iht-venez.html
I looked up the topic of censorship as it relates to Chavez and found an interesting newspaper article. This particuar article, "Chavez denies TV, license, stoking censorship debate" by Simon Romero, talks about the television company RCTV. Apparently, RCTV was a very popular, well known station in Venezuela. However, in early 2007, Chavez shut this network down by choosing not to renew their contract. The article talks about how Chavez thought RCTV was personally attacking his government with their programming and shows, and this is ultimately why he decided to shut them down. I guess he felt that they could influence the people, and did not like how he and his government were being portrayed. He caught a lot of controversy, because many thought he was abusing his power and acting unjustly.
Instances like this could explain why networks are hesitant to include material that may offend the government. I guess it goes to show that maybe pushing the limits isn't always the best idea, especially with someone like Chavez in charge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/world/americas/01iht-venez.html
Brrrrrrrrrrr...
I love the 1st Amendment.
Why? Because it initiates thought.
Free Speech is more than just opinions, its a catalyst for change. What one person may say to 10000 people can be interpreted 10000 ways.
Today we talked about how Telenovelas are often censored. What's even worse is that they are not even necessarily being censored by only the government, they are being censored by the networks. How is this worse - it creates a chilling effect. At least when the government tells you what you can and cannot do, there is a much more rigid set of standards/rules. When the networks are censoring themselves, they have to err on the side of caution, thus keeping things that may not be censored off the air.
Telenovelas are one of the most powerful mediums of mass media. People follow them more religiously than the news, so it is a very good way to send messages.
These writers are incredibly intelligent people who have a message to send, and it's a shame that some of their writing is censored.
Production is so COOL!
Learning about telenovela production over the last couple of weeks has been amazing! It's really hit me what an incredible opportunity this class has presented. Dr. A is so knowledgeable, and thanks to all her research and connections, we have seen telenovelas from all sides -production, consumption, representation, and we've even met an actress!
One of the things that I enjoy when learning about telenovelas, is the contrast to American television. Of course, I haven't been given an inside look at television in the U.S., but from everything I know about "American" culture, I have a hunch. When considering production for instance, there are major differences. We've heard about the chaos often involved in the making of a telenovela - the shooting of a scene that must be aired the same night and the camera that was forgotten a plane ride away from location. Can you imagine this happening here? The immediacy prevalent in so many aspects of American culture must pervade television production as well. I can't imagine that an American program, shot under that kind of deadline without pristine equipment could ever result in an episode later watched and LOVED by millions of people.
This is something I really envy about Latino culture. The sense of urgency that I feel every day here is toned down in Latin America, and life is just a little more laid back.
P.S. Roque Valero is so cute
One of the things that I enjoy when learning about telenovelas, is the contrast to American television. Of course, I haven't been given an inside look at television in the U.S., but from everything I know about "American" culture, I have a hunch. When considering production for instance, there are major differences. We've heard about the chaos often involved in the making of a telenovela - the shooting of a scene that must be aired the same night and the camera that was forgotten a plane ride away from location. Can you imagine this happening here? The immediacy prevalent in so many aspects of American culture must pervade television production as well. I can't imagine that an American program, shot under that kind of deadline without pristine equipment could ever result in an episode later watched and LOVED by millions of people.
This is something I really envy about Latino culture. The sense of urgency that I feel every day here is toned down in Latin America, and life is just a little more laid back.
P.S. Roque Valero is so cute
I have always had one single complaint with most of my favorite telenovelas: the music.
For me this is where American dramas beat out my beloved novelas. For example, Grey's Anatomy has new music every week, sometimes it's an artist I've heard of and other times it's a tune that has me running to Google to try to figure out who it is by. Telenovelas on the other hand like to keep to the same stash of music for the entire novela. So by episode 93 I feel like screaming every time I hear the soft piano intro of the main character's love theme.
Most of the time my complaint isn't the music itself (unless we're talking about Pasion de Gavilanes and then yes, oh yes my complaint is about that music). As we saw in class many novelas comision their own specific music that will fit well with their theme. It's just how predictable it becomes after awhile.
Has this been the case for anyone else?
For me this is where American dramas beat out my beloved novelas. For example, Grey's Anatomy has new music every week, sometimes it's an artist I've heard of and other times it's a tune that has me running to Google to try to figure out who it is by. Telenovelas on the other hand like to keep to the same stash of music for the entire novela. So by episode 93 I feel like screaming every time I hear the soft piano intro of the main character's love theme.
Most of the time my complaint isn't the music itself (unless we're talking about Pasion de Gavilanes and then yes, oh yes my complaint is about that music). As we saw in class many novelas comision their own specific music that will fit well with their theme. It's just how predictable it becomes after awhile.
Has this been the case for anyone else?
Production Stress
learning about all of the tensions that surround telenovela production has given me a whole new respect for the final product. I wonder how well our hollywood A-list actors would do under all the pressures of a telenovela shoot, it seems that the telenovela actors and crew are prepared for, or at least able to handle, anything! I think that the constraints between creativity of the artists and time/money is especially interesting. I also am amazed that the crew and cast are able to make it through so many months of stress and hours of working. I noticed in my telenovela Rubi that about halfway through Rubi started to look a little worn out. Barbara Mori is beautiful, but half way through watching, I noticed that her skin had some breakouts and her eyes had slight bags around them. I wondered if this was from the stress and long hours of telenovela production. I think it would be really interesting to get to visit a telenovela set, but also maybe a little stressful even just to watch.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Presentations, Production, and Pleasing the fans!
So many things have been going on in our class recently that I could talk about. Dr. A is right: our class could really be a telenovela! I first must say that this is the first class in which I have been completely engrossed in everyones' presentations. I felt like I really learned something interesting from every presentation. I talked to a couple other people in the class about it, too. Everyone agreed that these presentations were different from any others we have seen in other classes!
I also have to comment about my fascination with the production process. I do not know how the people in the production crew deal with the high stress and time restraints of the telenovela world. I am stressed just listening to Dr. A telling the story about the scene that was turned in just hours before it aired. The great thing is that the cast and crew have a lot of faith in each other. They really don't have another option. I've learned that making a telenovela is a heck of a lot harder than it looks. And to get to the glitz and glamor, you must go through those high-stress times first.
As we've learned about production, I see the sets, cameras, etc and it seems to me like quite a grand production. It seems as though it takes a lot of money to make these Venezuelan telenovelas. However Dr. A mentions over and over again that their budgets are extremely low. This makes me think how much money the American soap operas must have! I'm sure nothing is off-limits for them or cuts too much into the budget. I think the bottom line though, is that the Venezuelans love their telenovelas. I think they'd watch their telenovelas whether the budget was a million dollars or a thousand dollars. After all, all of this production is for the fans.
I also have to comment about my fascination with the production process. I do not know how the people in the production crew deal with the high stress and time restraints of the telenovela world. I am stressed just listening to Dr. A telling the story about the scene that was turned in just hours before it aired. The great thing is that the cast and crew have a lot of faith in each other. They really don't have another option. I've learned that making a telenovela is a heck of a lot harder than it looks. And to get to the glitz and glamor, you must go through those high-stress times first.
As we've learned about production, I see the sets, cameras, etc and it seems to me like quite a grand production. It seems as though it takes a lot of money to make these Venezuelan telenovelas. However Dr. A mentions over and over again that their budgets are extremely low. This makes me think how much money the American soap operas must have! I'm sure nothing is off-limits for them or cuts too much into the budget. I think the bottom line though, is that the Venezuelans love their telenovelas. I think they'd watch their telenovelas whether the budget was a million dollars or a thousand dollars. After all, all of this production is for the fans.
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