Take a look at popular shows that many people consider as "part of their childhood". Which ones were actually good? Which ones weren't that great but appealed to people when they were children so it's largely defended anyways? How does this affect the television industry?
Nice topic. Could you give some specific examples of shows people consider part of their childhood? – Munjeera8 years ago
I see a lot of hype about shows like the Dragon Ball series, Power Rangers, and Pokemon. – LaRose8 years ago
Note some of the sub-cultures that have been created because of certain childhood shows and how that affects nostalgic attachment.
– tylerbloom8 years ago
Note some of the sub-cultures that have been created because of certain childhood shows and how that affects nostalgic attachment.
– tylerbloom8 years ago
Discuss which other popular TV shows owe significant debt to the writing of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It could be visually, like comparing the depictions of Buffy's powers in Season 1 to Jessica Jones, for example. Or, a another, the episode structure of Fringe (setting aside the super-powered blonde protagonist set upon by destiny. Those are the two I thought of, but I'm sure there are loads more.
I like this topic, but I would change the title. It's a bit confusing. – LaRose8 years ago
Yeah, that's a fair cop. I would change the title too, to be honest. – magicmark8 years ago
Explore how Medieval English literature deals with the theme of death. For real life context, the article could examine the devastating impact of the bubonic plague on not just England, but the whole of Europe. The quick spread and constant recurrences of the Black Death (as well as the high casualties) spurred contemplations about death, mortality, and religion. Examples of works that capture the anxiety of impending death are “Gawain and the Green Knight” (and most tales involving King Arthur’s court), “The York Play of the Crucifixion,” and the morality play “Everyman.”
What do these stories say about how one should spend their time before death? Why is there an emphasis on urgency? In stories where death is personified, what is its true nature?
I'm not sure if you would like to investigate the apocalyptic fervor that arose in the wake of the plague in Europe, but if you are interested in investigating the history of how the plague contributed to anxieties evident in Medieval literature some good background information may be found in Norman Cohn's Pursuit of the Millenium. It may be a bit later than the period you're looking at but it is a good read. I also think that apocalyptic thought is behind the texts you cite, so some investigation in this area may prove helpful. Such a fascinating topic with so many possibilities. – margo8 years ago
There are whole books dedicated to this topic. – T. Palomino2 years ago
Analyse the effectiveness of DIY tutorials found on YouTube and how young people are using them to learn new ways of making things, including building, cooking, makeup, art, etc.
The discussion could go further into the positive effects of youth being able to look up how to do things on their own and how that could encourage them to be more self-sufficient and mature. – murrayjl8 years ago
I completely agree! It was a very brief intro to a topic but it can definitely be broadened. Thanks – StephL1t8 years ago
I think whoever chooses to write about this could also consider the broader implications for education in general. As knowledge becomes more democratized universities will have to think of new ways to justify paying for an education. – salparadise968 years ago
I love this idea. I think an important thing to look at with this topic is the difference between getting information from a one-sided provider rather than from someone in our lives who offers not only the information we're seeking but also a meaningful exchange with another person. – natalieanne8 years ago
Being a teenager who is always looking for something new to do I did make my way to those DIY videos on random things like paracord, cooking, woodworking, etc. Some of these hobbies I have found that would work well in the marketing field. Along the lines of how it is shaping my generation, it is teaching us the basics of marketing and the responsibilities of life. – hnowinski8 years ago
"Ma" is a Japanese term used to describe the space in intervals. Compare and contrast Miyazaki's use of "Ma" in his animated films with more contemporary, mainstream works to illustrate the how its use adds and/or detracts from a film's narrative.
For the FT journalists and freelancers out there, what actually IS a conflict of interest and why are reporters and professors of journalists so opposed to it? If you're passionate about anime clubs in schools or city-wide clean-up days, for example, and no one else in the newsroom is, should you write about one of those passions, or pass it off to someone else because of a so-called "bias"? What's a journalist to do?
Investigative journalism does appear to becoming a lost art. The good news is since we have YouTube anyone can make the news or become the news. Case in point was the Principal's wife who returned a call to a high school students who complained when the school was closed down for a day. The students posted her tirade on YouTube and in this way created his own news, much to the chagrin of the Principal's wife who was quite insulting in her venting. – Munjeera8 years ago
Journalism has always fascinated me, however there are some topics revolving around it that I haven't seen disected and discussed like "has journalism passed its peak?", "why is it becoming harder and harder to put your foot in the door be successful and be able to make a living at it?" And "why are prospective students being discouraged from following their passion for journalism?" – nnader8 years ago
Hollywood has a history of casting white men/women in minority roles from the blackface of Othello to the recent casting of Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming Ghost in the Shell. But what about the casting of minorities in white roles? On Flash we see an africian american Iris West and on Gotham an asian Hugo Strange. Does this race swapping help open the doors to more minorities being in cast in Hollywood or is it simply an easy way out for studios that don't want to write original minority characters (like Finn in The Force Awakens)? Or is just a band aid on a more ingrained racism issue in our society? Discuss.
I didn't know that there were instances of racialized groups playing roles originally written for White actors. I would be interested in reading about this topic. Thanks for suggesting it. Sounds like it will be different take on an often written about topic. – Munjeera8 years ago
Fascinating question about studios not wanting to write new minority characters. I've often wondered about this topic myself, and the inconsistencies and nuances of it. For example, is casting a white actor for a traditionally black part any more or less problematic than casting a non-disabled actor to play a disabled character (Redmayne as Hawking)? Is it simply about the best actor for the part or must some roles be reserved for black actors and white actors, because of their source material, historical setting, etc? I change my view on these things all the time, so hopefully this article could help me make sense of them! – J.P. Shiel8 years ago
I do wonder if the last question you asked about whether or not the casting of minority groups for traditionally white roles is necessarily just a cop-out way to "diversify" Hollywood without having something intrinsically rooted in their respective race in their characterization. Sometimes I feel like this is done kind of well, but I do get that sense sometimes. I hope to read about it soon. – chekhovsraygun8 years ago
It would be interesting to see which forms of media are doing what kind of race bending too, since in your example the Hollywood movie is casting a white actor in an Asian role, and the tv shows are casting POCs as traditionally white characters. It may be that Hollywood is less willing to racebend to put POCs in starring roles, whereas television has more fluidity with character adaptations (especially when you consider that, in North American media, movies are often seen as the "official" version relative to television adaptations of the same material). – chrischan8 years ago
Discuss the relativity between American superhero culture and the concept of heroes in anime series such as My Hero Academia, One-Punch Man, Tiger and Bunny, and other series.
There is the potential of outlining a history between the two, and specifically focussing on how it has moulded shonen and seinen (since most of the other genres haven't been impacted by American comic culture). – Chesarka8 years ago
One thing that Arc V's success is banking off of is its ability to not only venture into dimension (one for each summoning), but to also bring back characters from the previous season (GX, 5Ds, Zexal).
This creates the possibility of having the protagonist, Sakaki Yuya face off against various duelist that have been known to be the best (Jack Atlas, Crow Hogan, Kite) and draws upon the appeal and nostalgia factor of the viewers while also giving an interesting story in which the characters are introduced into a different type of environment.
Explore the various discourses with in the Pokemon series (and there is enough information in the Indigo League seasons for this) on issues regarding animals in captivity. If Pokemon creatures are seen as pets, trained animals in captivity, or beasts of burden, what are some examples of the ways that the series treated different philosophies and consequences of humans keeping control of highly "evolved" creatures?
I haven't seen the black & white seasons but in the game team Plasma focused on liberating pokemon, yet they were still the bad guys. It would be good to take a look at their actions/mission and how it interacts with how pokemon are seen/treated. – LaRose8 years ago
I just re-watched the first few episodes and it is mentioned that "wild pokemon are jealous of captured pokemon" and therefor act aggressively towards them. I found this an odd explanation but it kind of answers why pokemon also resist capture, they want to play hard to get and be with the best possible trainer; it's not because they don't want to be captured. However I find this dangerously supportive of a "no means yes" mentality... – Slaidey8 years ago
One thing we need to be careful of when looking at Pokemon is reading them as animals too eagerly. From an exclusively Western perspective, this is certainly the case, as many look like animals, and humans cannot understand their speech. In the anime, they are shown to have a language (not spoken by humans) but in the games, they seem only capable of the roars, cries and sounds we associate with the concept of "animal." But a reading of Pokemon in its original, Japanese context reveals a more complicated relationship. One thing to understand is the concept (not unique to Japan) of "discipleship." Basically, a common trope of Japanese and other Asian fiction is of a martial arts master who encounters an attacker while in the wilderness. The two fight, but the master bests his assailant. After being beaten, the would-be-attacker asks to join and learn from the master. Anyone who has caught a pokemon in-game can attest to this narrative being built into the game mechanics. The wild pokemon always initiates the encounter, often in the wilderness. The player has the option to flee, but only in rare exceptions will the wild, aggressor pokemon do so. Catching a pokemon, in most cases, requires a demonstration of the trainer's superiority via lowering its HP. Now, without knowing this context, the situation does look pretty bad, and it's understandable why people react with discomfort at witnessing what they see as forced animal combat. But not only does pokemon draw its ideas from cultural tropes which have nothing to do with animals, many pokemon have no animal characteristics. Some look like plants or snowflakes, and even garbage bags and ice cream cones. In Pokemon's in-game discourse, pokemon are never framed as animals. Instead, they are seen as partners, working alongside their human counterparts, reflecting an image of positivity. Children and adults alike playing pokemon are encouraged to forge bonds and strife for their goals alongside partners who may not look like them, but share their outlook and ambitions nonetheless. – magicmark8 years ago
I would like to clarify that the topic specifically mentions the tv series (not the games) and the indigo league to narrow it down. – Christen Mandracchia8 years ago
Ok, I can see the pokemon-as-animals argument more in the Indigo League arc for sure. But don't you feel the focus of that is a bit narrow? It's like saying (only example i could think of off the top of my head) that Star Trek Next Generation has Natasha Yar as its protagonist, and only using Season 1 as an example. I think narrowing focus is a good idea for the sake of keeping an article manageable, but I don't think the rest of the series outside of Indigo bears the argument out. – magicmark8 years ago
The Indigo League has 82 episodes which counts as several seasons in a normally syndicated tv series. Since the Indigo League was the first installment and covers a complete arc from beginning to end, it is quite sufficient especially since subsequent seasons follow the same format. If following seasons refute the animals in captivity argument that Indigo makes, and the author would like to comment on this phenomenon, I would suggest that the bulk of the article focus on Indigo with a brief paragraph or two summarizing how future seasons have remained consistent or have strayed from the ethics of the first installment. – Christen Mandracchia8 years ago
That's a really good idea - comparing the seasons to see how the discourse changes. I like it! – magicmark8 years ago
Analyze the way in which the new film Deadpool uses meta-cinema techniques for the advancement of character, plot, and theme. How do the self-aware references to popular culture enhance the audience's experience?
I think this is a very interesting way to look at the movie. This article could potentially tap into some very interesting cinema philosophy. It is important to consider that the way Deadpool is written in the comic books is that he is self-aware and often breaks the 4th wall, so maybe you can look at if the director pulled it off or not in the film. – StephL1t8 years ago
Another example of meta-cinema is in Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, where Dark Helmet kills a camera man in the middle of a lightsaber battle. – jamiepashagumskum8 years ago
The artist collective Liberate Tate ((link) has been campaigning against the funding of the Tate museums by BP (oil company) since 2010. They have staged multiple controversial and somewhat harrowing performance pieces in protest against their funding of the arts, many of which have been staged in Tate museums themselves. One piece staged an 'exorcism' of the 'evil spirit' of BP from Tate by a priest and his choir. But does the issue really justify these terms? Can funding by an oil company really be considered the 'evil spirit' in these arts institutions when, surely, even when it is 'expelled', the arts doesn't become a holy realm, considering historical tendencies of the Western art tradition in general towards elitism, sexism, racial discrimination etc etc.? If BP is an 'evil' company, what is a good one? who can be considered worthy of funding the arts? And considering the widespread cuts to government art funding, can the art world afford to be picky about its funding? Ultimately, is it better not to have funding in the arts than to have the arts funded by an oil company? The efforts of Liberate Tate could be used as a springboard into a discussion regarding the funding of the arts, and even particular exhibitions, in general – an aspect that isn't often considered – examining the ethical problems that may arise depending who the funding is provided by and how that might or should affect our reception of the art.
(latest development: http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/apr/29/museums-ethics-investigation-influence-sponsor-bp-british-museum) – lizzyhajos8 years ago
The problem with funding is that it guides the agenda of whatever it funds: a political candidacy, and and exhibition. More often than not, funding is conditional upon referring to certain themes o framing the thesis of the exhibition in a specific way. – AnaMRuiz8 years ago
Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'Hamilton' is currently a cultural phenomenon. It has won several awards, including the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It is no surprise then that the show has been sold out through to January 2017. Should such an important interpretation of the founding of the U.S. be adapted to film in order to reach a much larger audience? What, in the writing and performance, would be lost in this adaptation? What would be gained?
Perhaps it would be helpful to examine other musical adaptations and what elements made them successes or failures. – SamStarlight8 years ago
Yes! Lin-Manuel Miranda is a genius and that should be argument enough. Just kidding, but whoever is interested, Lin-Manuel Miranda said in an interview that he would definitely be interested in doing a film, but he is in no hurry. – ismael6768 years ago
What is the role of a movie trailer? Is it simply to build excitement for a movie, increasing its revenue, or can it be used as a storytelling tactic? Some trailers can be seen as works of art in themselves (1979's "Alien" is a particular favorite) while many modern trailers have been criticized for "giving too much away," or simply summarizing the plot ("Batman V. Superman" tried a few approaches.) Trailers on the internet can be seen by audiences more easily than ever before: how have they been used, and how should they be used, as a storytelling device?
I'd be interested to read about different trailers for the same movie -- sometimes one trailer paints a movie in a different light than another trailer, but both obviously can influence a person's interest in seeing the film or reasons for committing to watch it. – Cait8 years ago
The role of trailers are crucial in advertising and promoting movies. It gives us a sample of what is to come, and if we don't get enough, or we get too much, the movie could crash and burn before it actually comes out. Trailers are tricky! – Tony138 years ago
Culture also plays a part in what a trailer is likely to show. trailers intended for Western audiences are likely to build excitement and tease the audience, trying to tell us as much as possible without telling us anything at all. The Chinese audience, however, prefer to know what they're going into, so trailers intended for them will give away a lot of the story of the film. – Jamie White8 years ago
Sounds like a good topics. Perhaps you could include a list of the best 5 trailers of all time. – Munjeera8 years ago
I'm convinced that trailer-making is an absolute art in itself, as fulfilling as the film sometimes. The key is to have some structure to the trailers released - for example Cameron's trailers for T2 first told us there were two Terminators, and then told us one was good and one was bad. With each trailer, the audience was drip fed a little more. Now, it seems like directors just cherry pick various cool moments and stick them randomly into each new trailer, often spliced with ones we've already seen. – J.P. Shiel8 years ago
Also analyze movies where the trailer is accused of deliberately misleading the audiences for example in ‘Drive’ and ‘The Rhythm Section’ and how that then has gone on to adversely/positively affect the movie’s theatre revenues. – Dr. Vishnu Unnithan4 years ago
What is the political situation in the Naruto anime/manga world? The relationship between the villages in particular. Is the leaf village the leader? If it isn't, why not, since the leaf village seems so much more powerful than the others? If it is, why do they act independent from each other (equal)? In the fourth great ninja war most of the battles were won or led by ninja from the hidden leaf village (I admit not all but most). Is the political system in the Naruto world believable or not? And why?
Naruto-verse is divided into, first, Lands: Earth, Iron, Fire, Lightening, Water, etc. Each Land then has their own hidden ninja village; the Land of Fire is where Konohagakure is- Konoha being the first ninja village to be formed. The politcal system in Naruto I believe is that each Land is independent, politically, which is why the Fourth Shinobi War is supposed to be significant, since all the Lands don't often all work together. In addition to Kages, each Land has a daimyo. I agree that the Land of Fire is often depicted as strongest- the Hokage, after all, is always said to be the strongest of the five Kages. – ees7 years ago
Play's such as Sarah Kane's "Cleansed" are not horror plays, or thriller plays, but nevertheless they contain, almost to the point of excluding everything else, a number of scenes of torture, pain and mutilation. Perhaps with reference to the Ancient greek theory of catharsis, examine what makes plays and media such as this so compelling, and why theatre companies keep staging them.
I would like to add a note that "Theatre of Cruelty" does not necessarily just refer to watching pain onstage. Theatre of Cruelty is a dramaturgical technique which is according to Artaud, an assault of the senses. I would hope that an article on this would first explain how Sarah Kane's "Cleansed" falls into this category before explaining why audiences respond to it. That being said, this play is not all that well known. Is it a good idea to explore the popularity of Theatre of Cruelty in a play that is not that popular? Finally avoid words like "we" as the writer cannot speak on behalf of the reader and "we" is a generalization. Not everyone likes to watch pain onstage so please be specific. Thanks. – Christen Mandracchia8 years ago
I've been seeing a lot of comments like Christen's, on how the topic are too broad or include all instead of the specific group. I have mixed feelings about this, so I suppose the decision lies in you. Looking forward to reading this article. – Alstroemeria8 years ago
If you must explore Sarah Kane, there is plenty to explore in both Blasted and 4.48 Psychosis, but both are probably more well known, as Christen says that Cleansed is not. (Maybe exploring the works of Sarah Kane is an option, given that her work is rather limited). And yes, the Theatre of Cruelty note is very important. It seems unclear to me if the topic is meant to explore Artaud, or just the portrayal of pain. – chandlerwp8 years ago
"Shipping", a term used to describe fans' desire to see two or more people engage in a relationship romantically or platonically, is a phenomenon in all media. There are many types of "ships", such as canon, cargo, or crack, that fans desire and actively engage with in the community. This engagement includes fan fiction and fan art. The "shipping" phenomenon can lead to conflicts within a fandom. This is the case with "ship wars", where fans actively argue, harass, and belittle other fans in a fandom over preferences in "ships". The question is why do people engage so passionately with the notion of "ships?" What is the psychological basis for "shipping?" Why do people fight over which fictional relationship is "OTP" (one true pairing) and which is not? Is "shipping" more prevalent in a certain demographic and why?
"Why do people fight over which fictional relationship is "OTP" (one true pairing) and which is not?" An audience's desire for an OTP perhaps stems from the notion of a "soulmate." It is obviously more romantic to think that there is one person on Earth (and in some stories, in all the universe) that is uniquely suited to be with the protagonist. The existence of another person similarly suited to be with the protagonist threatens the notions of "true love" and "destiny," so said person must be removed. – Edwardss48 years ago
I think most of time shipping is caused by wish fulfillment on the part of the fan. For example, on the show Arrow, the Olicity pairing stemed from a mostly female fanbase projecting their desire for the unattainable, sexy Oliver by using the nerdy, awkward Felicity. – frannybello8 years ago
A look into the Netflix original "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" to analyze how the show acknowledges and satirizes media culture and the effect that it has for the audience when the main character is by all accounts, technologically inept (especially in relation to going viral, social media, etc). Can also discuss transition from first to second season and shifts in storytelling.
With Journalism, English, or other writing-based majors, students should be able to choose what classes they want to take, rather than forcing them to take general electives and studies that will not benefit their chosen career path. The student can choose which courses will best help them develop their sense of writing style and technique. Students will then be able to take classes about topics they are interested in writing about.
With all majors, there a certain core classes one must take, and then there are electives that they can take, but most of these electives need to be in their school– Journalism College, or College of Arts and Sciences. Instead of restricting their electives to their college of degree, students could take a course from any college that would best fit their chosen category of writing. For example, let's say a student is majoring in creative writing. That student might creatively write about cultural differences, or even hotel management experiences. That student would normally have to take electives that are other forms of creative writing, but with my idea, they could cover the aspects they want to creatively write about, and still receive credit for them.
Also, if a writing student wants to take another beneficial writing course, rather than a mandatory math class, they would be able to swap out for certain courses.
This could also translate to other categories other than writing. For example, a theatre major would be well served to take certain Business classes, since Theatre Management is a lucrative career and offers employment possibilities outside of acting and technical theatre (which are what most undergraduate theatre programs are centered around). Ditto Computer Science courses.
It would be interesting to argue the angle of taking an elective instead of mandatory general education course (swapping writing for math), but I think that might be a separate article; additionally, it would be easier to argue why they are important rather than superfluous. Students often underestimate how often they will use courses such as math in their chosen field. Algebra, for example, is often used in scenic construction and design, and even writers still need to do their taxes! While they may seem like a waste of time when pursuing a specific degree in the arts, often they are useful later on (especially when looking for alternate means of employment to support yourself while you write/act/illustrate/film/animate/etc.). – Katheryn9 years ago
A thought to consider would be the cost of these classes and finding staff to run them. The university I attend has cut back staff so we have to video call into another campus in order to take our class. Not only is this disruptive to the learning process it would also would assume that it would be frustrating to teach. I do however love this idea as I have been forced to take journalism classes for my degree to make up credit points, all that time spent learning how to write media releases will be wasted in my field. Good luck to the writer of this topic i look forward to hearing your ideas. – geopikey9 years ago
I'm not exactly sure what this topic is exactly. What exactly do you want the author to write about that you haven't already stated? – Lexzie8 years ago
I think you should narrow down what you're trying to say here. I think it's extremely beneficial for budding writers NOT to study literature straight away, and instead study something that will broaden their views on the world, thus allowing them to have interesting ideas that will then lead to creative writing. As an author myself, I have extremely benefited from not studying creative writing at university. – CJFitpatrick918 years ago
As an English undergrad, I would love to read about the possibility of having a more open course that would facilitate more creative writing about topics that the students could choose, and the pros and cons of the class. – HelenaH8 years ago
The University of Indiana's Individualized Major Program (I. M. P.) allows one to designs their own curriculum. Under this program, Will Shortz, the New York Times' crossword puzzle editor, became in 1974 the only degree holder in enigmatology, the study of puzzles. Your topic could start out by reporting how students at that university have used the I. M. P. to create new majors related to the traditional English major. – Tigey8 years ago