Film Culture - Reading Response (Week 9)

This reading on film cultures was quite simple and more of a comparative case study done between films introducing the concepts of downfall and development. 

As the reading says, the publicity gained by the movie on the box office receipts, higher production costs marked its success during the early times. He shows that with an example of Titanic and El Mariachi. There were lesser number of independent movies being created.

From Oligopolies to Conglomerates - The Change

Soon there was a change from the number of oligopolies, where only certain studios were in the high position, soon had a vertical integration with a few other companies moving from the oligopolies to the conglomerates. This lead to the options of block booking of the studios.The majors started to slowly collect films and release them, rather than producing their own films. 

Under the 'laissez-faire', the economic policies also helped in merging of conglomerates. Soon after the vertical integration there was a wave of 'horizontal integration' which lead to aligning complementary businesses alongside the production unit. To earn a global perspective and interest towards the films developed, they joined hands with most of its global partners to reinforce a sense of control on a nationwide run.

There is also a brief on the industry labor practices, by introducing three different ideas.

• Outsourcing of labor
• Runaway productions
• Concentration of creative and intellectual control

Films and new technologies:

Film technology seems to rely on the new technologies to market their products by spreading DVD's

instead of video tapes and minimizing the work load and offering more choice. He explains how we can  market music videos and films before releasing it to a wider audience, spreading it to niche audience. This is a strategy in selling the goods before releasing them.

Overall a good read to understand more about how films and film studies work. 

(Pramaggiore, Maria and Wallis, Tom (2008) Film: A Critical Introduction. 
London: Pearson, pp415-431)

Fashion Blogs - Consumer Culture

Fashion blogs are all over the internet, advertising and advising people on what to buy. This is a leading way of advertising which grew alongside the rise of new technologies.

First when blogging was introduced to a large account of people, it was a way of informing or communicating thoughts and ideas with others. Nowadays the ease in access of blogs makes its success. Sharing in seconds and having a global connectivity are those that made most people love blogging these days. 

This post is going to discuss about the trend of Fashion blogs and what impact does it have on consumer culture. This clearly attributes to Berger who describes how and why common lifestyles are associated with brands and products. 

After so many  blogs were started it started to act like a vent for people to pour their money into. Bloggers earn money in advertising the products. In fashion blogs there exists a sense of selling things rather than inspiring. Consequently the behavior and attitudes of people towards buying things have also changed rapidly, in satisfying more of their wants rather than focusing on their needs. 

"Dulce candy" who is one of the famous fashion bloggers, is also associated with various companies that sells the products. Constantly viewing these products, the followers attain the mindset of "buying these products would make me happy" feel. So they end up spending thousands of pounds in the stores recommended by these bloggers. Not only this, people are pushed to a point that branded lifestyle has become a status symbol. "What you own defines who you are"

Mike Featherstone talks about the three components of consumer culture, which can be seen in the fashion blogs. 

• Vast expansion of capitalist commodity that leads to the vast accumulation of material goods - There are lots of companies producing these products to earn profit and as a result people tend to buy things which are not a necessity. This is more of a 'vicious circle'. In fashion industry there is constant updated trends which makes people buy more products.
• Sociological views on the satisfaction and the status. - These blogs create a tension in viewers mind to buy the products, so that they can be more privileged. Buying branded commodities has become more of a status symbol. To talk in fashion terms "Owning a Rebecca Minkoff bag or a Gucci bag makes a status statement"
• Emotional pleasure of consumption by satisfying the dreams and desires. - They put the followers under the pressure and make them think "Buying a new product would give a better feel".

As a result, people end up buying more than needed. To quote precisely, Berger says,

 "Consumer culture is the one where 'private' needs and desires are considered more important than the spending on the public ones".  

Consumer Cultures - Reading Response (Week 9)

In this reading, Berger provides a complete picture of consumer culture. He explains about the two extremes of consumer cultures and quotes different people's thoughts on consumer culture.

He touches upon varies ideologies of consumer culture, starting from defining consumer culture, discussing about the origin of it, Psychological imperatives in consumer culture, Marxist or the capitalist approaches, Advertising of these consumer cultures.

Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages purchase of goods and services even in greater amounts.Berger describes how the common 'lifestyles' are associated with brands and products and also the changing attitudes and behavior of people towards the product. 

Consumer cultures are divided into two extremes. The one's who live in a subsistence economy where the consumption of material goods are not important and the other extreme is where goods place an important role in day to day activities. Consumer culture is the one where 'private' needs and desires are considered more important than the spending on the public ones.

Mike Featherstone talks about 3 components of consumer culture, they are,

• Vast expansion of capitalist commodity that leads to the vast accumulation of material goods
• Sociological views on the satisfaction and the status. 
• Emotional pleasure of consumption by satisfying the dreams and desires.

John Calvin mentions about the origin of the consumer culture and its religious background. He attacks asceticism in his writing. He talks about the divine beneficence, where he says that God wanted us to enjoy life and has provided with unlimited supply of goods.

In the psychological understandings of the consumer culture, Joan Riviere says Psychological impulses lead to desire for possessions which generate consumer culture. She makes the point that people constantly are psychologically moved to buy a good, even though they have to pay debts as buying makes them believe to break the class barrier. As it is constantly changing people are used to buy the products. Advertising is an important one in increasing people's desires and wants which would thus lead to mass consumption. Riviere defines the wants and desires as greed.

In the Marxist capitalist approach, Karl Marx mentions that its not the consciousness that determine society but it is the society that determine the consciousness. He explains how if we don't buy things then we are secluded and feel that society rejects us. To engage with the society consumer culture seems to be important as it acts as a barrier for alienation. 

So overall, this reading explains how we need to consume endlessly, so that we are recognized as a part of this society. This gives a clear overview on the consumer cultures.

(Berger, Arthur Asa (2010) The Objects of Affection: Semiotics and Consumer)

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