Thursday, October 27, 2005

Simpsons: The iGeneration Podcast

by Liz and Hilary :D

EPISODE: One – Cape Feare and Participatory culture

SHOWNOTES

-Time Scale

[X] (0-1.17) Introduction to the iGen
[X] (1.20-1.40) How to set up your Video with our Audio
[X] (1.40- 24.15) Part 1: The Alternative Commentary
[X] (24.16-27.51) Intermission Podsafe: Cruisebox – Tell the FCC to Stick It (Squeaky Clean Remix)
[X] (27.51-53.28) Part 2: Discussion

-Links

[X] Part 1:

- The Simpsons Official Website [Link]

[X] Intermission:

- Podesafe [Link]
- Cruisebox- Tell the FCC to Stick It (Squeaky Clean Remix) [Link]

[X] Part 2:

- Wired News: TV Tries Shaky Hand at Podcasting [Link]
-
Listology: Best Fan Commentary Tracks [Link]
- Wizard People, Dear Reader by Brad Neely (NOT Harry Potter) [Link]
- Toner Mishap: The Simpsons – with “Audio Description” [Link]
- SCIFI.COM/ Battlestar Gallactica [Link]
- Fox Podcasts accessed through iTunes Podcasts, iTunes website link [Link]
- iGeneration Honours Seminar Unit References [Link]
- The Signal Podcast [Link]
- Star Wars Fan Film Awards—Only on AtomFilms [Link]
- Wired News: Blogging + Video = Vlogging [Link]
-Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder [Link]

[X] Exegesis:

- In an attempt to be innovative and participatory our Exegesis was written with the help of Writeboard by 37 Signals [Link]

- Our Exegesis Writeboard [Link] which needs our password to access please email request at fluffylittlebunny@gmail.com (NB: If we allow access through use of our password we do not wish our last version to be edited without our permission– if you edit it prepare to face certain angry consequences)

EXEGESIS

(NB: Our Exegesis was also covered in the discussion [Part 2] of our podcast, but for the sake of completeness we have also written this as well.)

Our Simpsons Podcast consists of two parts. The first part is a alternative audio commentary of the season five episode Cape Feare, while the second part consists of a wider discussion relating to the use of podcasts for purposes such as commentaries, and a consideration of participatory culture and The Simpsons.

Our alternative commentary aims to make the viewer aware of the underlying themes of The Simspons and how it is constructed in a context of other cultural media products. When creating our audio commentary we attempted to maintain a relaxed tone normally associated with this form, yet also incorporate educational comments associated with our topic. We situate The Simpsons in a time when the audience is becoming more aware of mediums and the effects this awareness has on the mediums productions. This is because with the invention and availability of new technologies, individuals have made the transition from mass consumers of media, to producers. Consequently as producers, we have become more active in every interaction with media. Hence, The Simpsons acts out audience expectations of the television medium and others, and creates a reflexive and self-referential product to be interpreted.

Our discussion explores the effects and potentials of participatory culture further in how it is related to our Simpsons podcast. We note that The Simpsons can be seen as a step in the gradual move to more ‘participatory’ cultural products. We consider Star Wars to be the least participatory, followed by the emergence of The Simpsons which moved towards a move openly culturally reflexive form and finally Battlestar Gallactica (BSG) being our example of embracing participatory culture. BSG does so by its acknowledgement of participatory culture’s emergence in the form of Podcasts and fan interaction.

Our podcast can be situated amongst the other fan produced audio commentaries, and also with the podcast phenomenon by amateurs seen through iTunes. Fox Broadcasts official Simpsons’s podcast failed due to a poor use of audio, and here we see once again that the fans are the most successful innovators in the era of participatory culture and the potentials for audio offered by Podcasts.

In conclusion, our Podcast is participatory both in the fact that it is a participatory cultural product (being a fan produced podcast) and also due to its reflection on participatory issues within The Simpsons as a medium. Our discussion highlights the position of Podcasts and their role in the further development and possibilities related to audio and participatory culture.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alberti, John, Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture, Detroit, MI: Wayne State UP, 2004. xxxii, 344 pp. Contemporary Approaches Film and Television Series

Groening, Matt, Vitti, John and Moore, Rich, “Cape Feare” on The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Collector’s Edition, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 2005

Jenkins, Henry, “Interactive Audience?” in The New Media Book, Dan Harris (ed), London: BFI Publishing, 2002, pp. 157-170

Other Info:

Cape Feare” original airdate information on Fox Network (US): 9F22 October 7, 1993. Written by John Vitti. Directed by Rich Moore

We also wish to point out that our podcast tone and informal yet educational atmosphere was influenced by the ‘Podfather’ himself, namely Adam Curry. We attempted to follow his lead in successfully creating a podcast that was clearly understandable and interesting, yet did not sound too rehearsed or scripted. To hear his famous Daily Source Code follow the [Link]

DISCLAIMER

This podcast has made all attempts to acknowledge copyright licences and works/audio cited. It was produced by students for assessment and not for any financial gain, and should be interpreted as homage to The Simpsons. Any infringement on copyright or other authors’ rights is unintentional and will be resolved upon notification.

[iLecture/Lectopia Download - Mp3 - 36.7Mb]

[Tags: | | | | | ]

6 Comments:

Blogger fluffylittlebunny said...

I would just like to say Liz was a fantastic person to work with on this podcast and we have thoroughly enjoyed the experience....
YAY for Liz
*HUGS*
GO TEAM!

Thu Oct 27, 10:03:00 pm 2005  
Blogger fluffylittlebunny said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Thu Oct 27, 10:10:00 pm 2005  
Blogger fluffylittlebunny said...

Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts Donuts

I believe it was....

and also....Mars Bar and Oreos....

Yes, it really was like a proper production wasnt it? Except we only had the 'chocolate bar' and not the 'salad bar' :P

Fri Oct 28, 12:30:00 pm 2005  
Blogger Gwyneth said...

Hmm. And yet that deleted comment arouses my suspicion! Is there something we should all know? :)

Fri Oct 28, 02:44:00 pm 2005  
Blogger fluffylittlebunny said...

haha, it was me going
OMG IT SPELLED GROENING AS GROAENING


and then I realised I had the power to EDIT :P

Word auto changed it to Groaning see, so then I stuck in an 'e' and it ended up as 'Groeaning'

Now it is all fixed :P

haha, what exact suspicions were being raised btw? I am not suspicious at all, im entirely, non-suspicious :P

Fri Oct 28, 04:28:00 pm 2005  
Blogger fluffylittlebunny said...

hehe :P

I know your not in the least suspicious of me :D

Sat Nov 05, 11:13:00 am 2005  

Post a Comment

<< Home