Assignment5_posts

Reality shows have become an important part of TV programmes, they are popular with spectators of all ages, professions and interests. Thorough work of screenwriters, producers and directors make them so attractive, that the audience forget about their lives, interchanging them with the twists and turns of the lives of the participants. But why are they so tantalizing that millions of spectators are sucked in their screens in the evening? The answer is obvious: because what's happening on screen seems real, more real and absorbing than real life itself. So, how is such an effect created? We decided to analyse the show 'The Battle of Psychics' and managed to single out the following features: 1. Interplay with social stereotypes. Psychics wear bizarre clothes and hairstyles and generally behave like, well, psychos. Or at least as odd as the collective unconscious usually sees witches, shamans and sorcerers 2. Emotions. Both psychics and their 'clients' seem to feel like real people: they get angry, weep, quarrel. People rarely consider this all to be just acting. 3. 'Real' facts. Photos, addresses, names. Psychics seem to guess all that is shown in screen. 4. Actions of psychics. Most psychics perform various operations to 'learn' the needed things: think for show, throw dice or small stones, cards. They take time to think. 5. Police. The organizers involve police, and the cases seem real.
 * by Olga Kaptieva **


 * by Tanya Galanova **

The reality show “The Battle of Psychics” seems real because of:

1. Different stories, connected with people’s deaths, kidnappings, robberies, fires etc. This can happens every day of our life and drives people to extremity. So they start to believe in extra sense which can give them an answer to their questions.

2. Real people’s emotions showed at the time of interview right in camera.

3. Specific of the process of “using of extra sense” by psychics. Some of them smoke, cough, close their eyes and pronounce ‘mmmmmmmmmmm’ as if they really see something.

4. One of the presenters is sceptic who doesn’t believe in paranormal opportunities of people. So the structure of the show supposes several psychics trying to discover the unknown things and to prove their capability is real.

__**By Nastya Khokhlova**__

 Today reality shows make up a large part of the program of Russian television because they are very popular with viewers. Many of them even cause addiction in humans. The secret of their success is simple - they are focused on the lives and interests of ordinary people. They reflect the reality and thus create a sense that everything that happens on the screen are real events. So how do they create a reality?  In our case, we look at an example of the reality show "Battle of the Psychics". In this show, there are several features that make us believe it.  First of all, they use //language// to create reality. Psychic’s speech are always spontaneous. People in spontaneous speech typically use a lot of repetition, and the speech itself contains some mistakes, pause. The presence of these features convinces us that their speech is not staged and prepared in advance. Moreover, they rarely look at the camera assuring us that they are not playing to the camera. They use stereotypes of speech (they use of certain language features such as intonation and manner of speaking. We all understand the context when a person begins to slow and drawl say "I see it" or speak the words of otherworldly person).  Sometimes //the place// where participants show their abilities are known and the lens fall into passersby and ordinary homes, and we understand that this is not a studio that changes for different scenes, it happens in real-world locations.  In the show except psychics there are //people who are not participants// of the reality show. They need help psychics and usually bring the things (different photos and personal belongings) those people whose fate they care about.Psychics use their things to contact with the dead imitating interview or to find out the past. Thus, psychics are at present but are in contact with the past. It is impressive especially when psychics called facts known only to a narrow circle of people who then confirm the truth of the words of psychics. The reaction of people who come to psychics for help also affects our perception.They are often so impressed and shocked by the abilities of psychics that they begin to cry. Tears of people who are not actors make us empathize and to be involve emotionally.  Moreover, //clothes// of some psychics sometimes very extraordinary. Some dressed in all black and looks like a typical magician, others – in all white. Many carry a variety of amulets, which they say help them to communicate with the other world. So the unusual appearance makes us to believe in their unusual abilities.  Despite the fact that all of us are aware of this reality show as a competition in which participants reveal their attitudes, abilities and emotions, we can find in it the features that inadvertently lead us to believe that this show reflects reality.

__**By Irina Shemelina**__

I found some features of confirmation of reality of a show “Battle of psychics ”. Firstly, the effect of reality achieved by a story of composition. We, audience, believe that reality show is a competition, because the participants are focused on results, they are aggressive to other participants, is typical for real competition.

Secondly, imitation of the real interview. Usually after shooting of the “Battle of psychics” participants are asked “How it was?” As we can see, sometimes their speech is discursive and inconsistent, what is typical to spontaneous speech.

Third, stereotypes of extraordinary. During a guessing psychics usually say "I see/hear/feel her", hold paper or photos reading required information, use different attributes (additional equipment), as usually it is knives, bowls, pendulums, maps. Some participants have horrific view like real magicians.

Fourth, help to police. Psychics help the police to conduct an investigation. And if the participants of reality show help executive agency, so the "Battle of psychics" is not a stage show.

Fifth, the photos of real people. During a guessing psychics use photos of real people who are in trouble.

Sixth, the feelings of participants. We believe that the feelings of the participants are real. Psychics are sensitive and vulnerable people, we believe that they feel with their "customers", that they are not actors.

Finally, I would like to say that the "Battle of psychics" may just be a stage show, as I do not believe that nowadays there are so many professional and hereditary witches, sorcerers, magicians. In real life many psychics are actually charlatans and scammers, but this reality show is so realistic. I want to believe that in the reality show participants really help people to remove spoilage, find relatives and escape the disease.

__**By Ekaterina Zemlyanuchina**__

The main question of our task is to think how reality is constructed in different reality shows. We decided to analyze Russian reality show " B attle of psychics". As we have notices at the lesson, the reality can be constructed on several levels. I would like to point out such levels as location (where this show takes place), participants (this point includes their behavior, emotions, their status - I mean whether they are real people or not), time and the last point is aim of this reality show. To sum it up, I would like to say that all important features show, that " B attle of psychics" is real, because it's not far from viewers' life, though everybody realize, that this reality show is well prepared (has a scenario, editors, producers, organizers).
 * 1) **Location.** I suppose, that it is the first feature on which viewers pay their attention. To my point of view, firstly we begin to recognize some placed which we know (some streets, houses or other buildings in Moscow, places, which are stereotypical for our country, for example: railway stations with Russian informative signs, villages with stereotypical houses and so on) and only after that we begin to look after a plot of the show and to empathize the participants. This feature makes us think, that this show is real, because shows, that are unreal or supposed to be unreal always are made in special studio (which has no connections with reality at all).
 * 2) **Participants**. Viewers believe, that all people, that take place in the show, are non-actors, because we understand, that their emotions are true and pure, their speech is seems to be not prepared beforehand, they don't pay attention to the cameras (though sometimes after contests some of participants open emotions to the viewers: they estimate contest as good or bad, difficult or not, successful/unsuccessful). And it's normal: real people talk about their life (job, studies, days, weekends etc.) in the same way. And what is important, every contest organizers invite celebrities to take part in the show. And for great part of people these celebrities are authorities, we recognize them as real people, we know that they exist. Also when celebrities give concerts, we take them as successful, rich and happy people. But reality show " B attle of psychics" shows us that they just ordinary people, they have the same problems that we have, sometimes their lives are much more difficult than ours.
 * 3) ** Time ** . It's difficult to show reality show in real time, but the viewers understand, that all contests are preparing by people for a long period of time, we see not only the result of the contests, but also all the process. And it's real life in a rapid rate.
 * 4) ** Aim ** . Of course we understand, that people try to earn money due to this reality show, but for viewers the aim of the project is status of the best medium, goblet and other prizes. So, as in real life a group of people compete with each other and try to show all their abilities.

__**By Kseniya Romasheva**__

Our task is to answer the question how reality is constructed in reality show "B attle of psychics". We can find some features of a real life in this show. First of all, places. We can recognize some places: plates with addresses, well-known buildings. Also they show different appartments which look living. Sometimes they move the scene outside (forests, fields, streets and so on). Secondly, people. Sometimes producers invite celebreties but commonly we see non-actors with their emotions and attitude to situation. There are no people's behaviour patterns, everything depends on the actions. Psychics can be angry, agressive, they don't hide their feelings. The participants don't talk to the spectators, they don't pay any attention to the cameras, they just do their "job". Some moments are organised as a documentary: people who need psychics' help show photos, video, tell their stories, imitate interviews. It's a kind of conversation between particapants and viewers. Stories always refer to the past but psychics' actions are in the present, so, time also helps to create the effect of reality. And what about language? We can notiсe that psychics' speech is spontanious, they repeat some words, they try to recollect previous events out loud, they mumble when they're focused. It's normal people's behaviour. After show the participants are asked: "How was it?" and they answer that it was amazing, shoking and so on, and we understand that it was unique experience for them. Despite we all know that "Battle of psychics" has its scenario, editors, producers, the show is just a competition which contents all the stereotypes of paranormal, we can find some features of a real life.

__**By Ksenya Makeeva**__ Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded. Programs in the reality television genre are commonly called reality shows and often are produced in a television series. Documentaries, television news and sports television are usually not classified as reality shows. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">So, I would like to tell you about reality show which calls Last Hero. It is the Russian version of American reality show Survivor. The essence of reality show consists of group of people isolated in the wolderness, where they should earn a living. For example, food, water, fire and build shelter from the elements. Besides, participants fight not only against the nature, but also against each other, because they should expel one of tribespeople by vote upon termination of a certain interval of time. The last remained participant becomes a winner and receives as an award of $1 000 000. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">In conclusion I want to say, that this reality show is very hard, because in this show you can injure yourself. But we don't know <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">whether reality shows are true or not. I agree with Tanya that most of them are not natural, but they make our life more interesting and unusual.

__**By Ekaterina Gordeyeva**__ Let's start our analysis with the ** paradigm **. In this case, paradigm is a reality-show “the blond in chocolate”. I defined the following ** syntagms **: the main character, other participants, the time, the place, the problems, which are discussed in this reality-show, events (actions). Let’s analyze every syntagm in details. The first one is ** the main heroine ** of this show. It is a real person, who is very famous, extraordinary and energetic, her name is Ksenya Sobchak. Why the show of this very heroine is so popular? It is so because of her character: she is skillful, creative and unusual. She is different from the others. The second point is ** the others ** or people, who take part in this show. There are Ksenya’s mother, her friends and colleges. So we can mention that all the characters are real. They have their own problems to discuss with Ksenya (family,work,fashion…). They live their lives - make carrier, have holidays or difficulties. But the most important thing, that they are famous, rich and very popular ( Timati, Volochkova, Malinovskaya…). So it attracts us because we can get information about these celebrities by watching this show. The third point is ** the time sequence **. We can watch the show in real time. All the series of the show are new. The events are fresh and up to date. It’s very important because nobody wants to watch the events, which happened 10 years ago. ** The places **, which are shown in the show are different: Ksenya’s house, her parent’s (friend’s) house, another country, where Ksenya is spending her holidays, different parties, shops, clinics of beauty and so on. All the places are realistic and very common for us. It is important to notice, what ** problems ** are discussed in the show. Actually, there are not so important problems. Ksenya comments what is fashionable, how do you need behave in this very place, gives the characteristics of her friends, discusses different gossips and so on. The last points is the ** events **, which happen with the main heroine. Usually it’s her night life. Parties, exhibitions, fashion shows, which she likes to visit. ** In conclusion ** I would like to say, that all the points (except the last two) make us feel, that we are taking active part in Ksenya’s life. She comments all her life-specially __for us__. Everything looks so __realistic__. But the last two points help us to understand, that the show __was prepared__ or was played. Why it is so? First – in real life we do not make comments about ourselves. Second, we can see not all her life, only very famous people, interesting parties, Ksenya is always makes up, with expensive clothes, the house is in order… But still this show, which she creates is very fascinating and unusual.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">by Tatyana Zlobina ** What is “reality show”?

A reality show is a genre of television programming that usually presents unscripted dramatic or humorous situations with ordinary people.

How?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Subjects of a reality show may be given some rudimentary directions offscreen, but the point is to allow the performers to act and react as normally as possible Why?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> These people are not professional actors <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, so they behave in their normal way. That’s why these programs are called “Reality shows” because they demonstrate __real__ life of common people. What about “the blond in chocolate”?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> That is a reality show of a well-known Russian celebrity Ksenya Sobchak. It shows us her routine life. We may think that this project is a reality because we can see how she meets with other people, visits different parties, does shopping, talks about her feelings, thoughts and so on. She acts in a normal way like a common person. Moreover, we may think that this show is real because it takes places in a real part of the world and at the present time. But! The problem is that we are not definitely sure whether she behaves naturally or not. There is a chance that her acts, words and deeds may be written by scripters in order to make this show more catching and interesting. Otherwise, people wouldn’t watch this show and TV raitings would fall down.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> What is interesting for us that she has the eventful social life with an uncountable amount of acquaintances (most of them are very influential) and high-society parties and so on. She comments a lot of her deeds and feelings with abstruse phrases (including buzzwords, quotes and idioms). So we may consider that her speech is written in order to make a great impression on us. In conclusion, I’d like to say that we can’t say exactly whether reality shows are true or not. Of course, they have some aspects of reality, but in my opinion, most of them are not natural. They are deliberately invented by other people in order to make shows more interesting and worth watching.

By Gulya Akhatova

Kseniya Sobchak is a Russian celebrity. Kseniya Sobchak has built a successful career as a socialite, journalist and T.V. presenter. She is always surrounded by scandals, she likes to take part in some debates and meetings, including political. Kseniya Sobchak is known for her unpredictability, impudence and outspoken comments.

"The Blond in chocolate" is a Sobchak's own reality show where she shares with audience some of her party life and opinions on people in show-business.

I have watched "The blond in chocolate", where Kseniya Sobchak gave up her boyfriend. Our task is to define how reality is constructed in this reality show. And I want to enumerate these points ( how reality was created).

1. Because of real people. Not only the main heroine is real, also her friends (like Dima Bilan, Timati) are real. And we know it.

2. The place where happen some events which cross with the life of Sobchak are real. There are no any events that happen in other planet, in other Universe.

3. The problems which Kseniya Sobchak discusses are ordinary and typical of all people. For example, she was discussing how she gave up her boyfriend. It is a real problem.

4. Also time is real. Events that were shown hapenned not long ago. It was not shown events which will only happend. It would be unreal.

In summary, I want to say that reality was created as can as possible. But there were moments where unreality was. For example, It was not shown whole days and nights of Sobchak's life. There were only "hot" moments which are interesting to discuss with others and to show others. Also Kseniya Sobchak herself tells about her problems and shares with opinions in front of camera. It means that there were some preparitions for performance. It is not part of reality. __**By Elena Men'shikova**__Reality show is TV-programme that is supposed to show us __"real" life__ of some people who are supposed to behave in __unprepared__ way, just to live their ordinary life being shooted with camera during every moment. Let's see whether "The blond in chocolate" suits to this definition or not. What are the features of real life? In my opinion, they are the __person__ itself (we know about his or her existing), __places__ where the person really lives and goes, __time__ that correspondes to the current moment of history and real speed of life events of person, __people__ who meet this person in reality (they exist in the same time with the person, they are not acting, they simply behave as ordinary people behave in common life, they would meet this person even without shooting this very reality show), __events__ that correspond to the real life-style of the person (eg, ordinary person can't meet a president without any special reason).//Person.// Yes, we know that Sobchak exists from TV, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, we saw her photos, heard her voice. We used to believe all of it. //Places.// Most of us haven't been in places shown in the show but we know about them from books, TV, other people. We also can't proove whether Sobchak is showing in these very places or they are only look like ones they are supposed to be. //Time.// We see it's our time because of clothes, personalities, buildings, language. But we also know that all these things may be created for special effect of some period of history. But we also know people from the past couldn't create an exact copy of future reality. //People.// We see different celebreties meet with Sobchak. She is also celebrity so it's normal for people from one social group to meet and spend time together. //Events.// Such events as parties. concerts, meetings with fans are thought to be usual events for stars' life. We also know it from the mass-media. So we see it is __TV reality__, we can't touch it or see with our own eyes. Besides, Sobchak is constantly looking straight to the camera smiling, for us it's the sign of non-reality (not "our" reality). She does it with special aim (PR, advertisement, etc.). in usual reality shows characters behave as they forget about cameras. But Kseniya is always ready to be shooted (smile, dressing, make-up, etc.).