Television In translation Drama Focus

Television In translation Drama Focus

Television drama is often allows people to escape though be able to relate as it is an exaggerated reality. The famous Sherlock Holmes is an example of a well known fictional character who’s ability to solve crime is beyond the real world. Sherlock has had great success both as a novel a film character and also television. The recent popularity for Sherlock Holmes is through television series having both an American and English adaptation of his character and endeavours. The American version named Elementary still embeds traditional values into the original storyline and maintains the charming English nationality of the main character though transitions the placement of the film to an American setting with the other characters being American especially his main partner Lucy Loo.  Both television series remain popular as the integrity of the show remained when translated and the adaptions only enhanced the audiences response as the setting made it easier for American viewers to relate. Skins that is originally a British television series also saw an attempt to try and replicate it’s success into an American Version of the show. However the attempt was unsuccessful as Skins was originally known for it’s rawness and representation of a messy teenage lifestyle. Though show originally received it’s popularity from engaging the audience through the absurd language and behaviour of the teenagers and allowed the characters to depict the pain and harsh reality of teenage years.  When the American version was created the show’s adaption saw changes to original character and modifying them into American Roles, a main example of this was changing one of the dances into a stereotypical American cheerleader. The characters views and beliefs were also adapted when changing one of the relationships with the characters, the UK version saw that the Islamic male did not agree with his friends homo-sexuality due to his religious values, though the US version adapted this to them seeing it as fine as long as they could watch them getting with other females. The adaption replaced one value with another hoping it would fit into American boys cultural characteristics and avoid speculation in the public as being anti-gay. The controversy was still created amongst the  American public though as viewers saw the show as sexually inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour for teenagers due to nudity, drugs and alcohol. The American version had reduced nudity and sexual referenced compared to the UK version though was still seen as unacceptable due to the cultural barriers which haltered the viewers to be able to relate. For UK viewers watching the American version they saw it as a bland remake of what  had already been created though without the original rawness. Translating television is difficult due to barriers of culture if an audience can’t relate to the text they may mis-understand the message and the show may create a negative response as shown with skins.

Asher-Perrin, E (2014) ‘Battling Super Sleuths: The Awkward Case of Elementary, Sherlock, and Building the Better Adaptation’ Tor.com, available online at

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/02/battling-super-sleuths-the-awkward-case-of-elementary-sherlock-and-building-the-better-adaptation

Penny, L (2014) ‘Sherlock and the Adventure of the Overzealous Fanbase’ New Statesman, available online at

http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/01/sherlock-and-adventure-overzealous-fanbase

Bryan, S. (2012). Goodbye Skins – you will be sorely missed. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/mar/08/skins-tv-sorely-missed

October 12, 2014October 22, 2014 by zoekennedy15495 Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Global Crises and Global News: Pacific Calling Partnership

Journalist’s follow strict ethical codes that can determine what they can and cannot write. These rules indicate that they are not allowed to write about issues or events that they are involved in. It is also regulated that the issues they record on can not be reported unless evident and proved correct.Though with major controversial issues such as Global Warming and air pollution and also shifting of media it makes it hard for reporters to write as they are also a part of these events and have to give an objective opinion. It is also said that journalist are the voice of the people though it is hard to report on things such as Global Warming as Scientist find it hard to prove direct evidence linking air pollution and carbon commission to the increase in temperature and the changing climate. Making it very difficult for writers to be able to display facts and not contribute a slight opinion. In contrast through the use of internet and blogging other writers can freely express insight into certain issue disregarding the laws that are set for traditional media forms. The web seems to be the direction people are heading to express and find media as they are allow more flexibility into what they write not necessarily meaning that the writing is biased or untrue though allows for theories to be expressed. The concern this has for traditional media forms is if people can not find out about major issues that are occurring then why would a newspaper be their first choice of what they would use to source information from. Though the issue of journalist not being able to express the problems of climate change could dramatically effect those of the older generations as they are not as likely to turn to online media platforms. Making it very concerning as major issues like that incorporate risks and for individuals not be informed and aware of these risks could be both damaging and harmful for not only the individual though also the environment. It is vital that the ethical codes allow for some modification to help ensure the well-being of both individuals and nature. It is also important that traditional media stays alive as there does need to be a source of media that has a larger sense of censorship then blogging. Adaptions must occur so the media remains strictly censored though also flexible enough that when important issue occur people are allowed to be equipped with the required knowledge.

Ward, B (2009) ‘Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty’ Ethics
in Science and Environmental Politics Vol 9, pp. 13 – 15

October 10, 2014 by zoekennedy15495 Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

I’m sorry I didn’t understand the joke, Can someone Translate that for me?

Television In translation comedy focus.

Television and film can be globally recognised, though some shows and movies may only develop national recognition and popularity. This can often occur due to cultural barriers such as cultural references and cultural specific character types. Comedy series significantly face the challenge to cross national borders as it rely’s on breaking rules through language and behaviour to gain a reaction from the audiences. Although all cultures may laugh at the rules being broken these rules are different in different countries. Making it difficult for comedy to be accepted in various cultures as they have different ethics and behaviours and what can be seen as funny to one culture may be seen as rude or boring in another due to sociocultural factors. An example of an international success is the popular character Dame Edna Everage who is well known in British television, this has occurred due to sharing similar cultural identity to Australia and the obscenity of a man dressing as a women can be seen as breaking the general behavioural rules and sparks an audience reaction. The film Crocodile Dundee was the most popular imported film into America, the film received attention from both a global and national audience due to it’s cross-cultural references, the film had a young Australian man trying to find his way in Manhatten. Alhough his peculiar behaviour and strong patriotic values worked well with an American audience as they were able to relate to the humour of the film. However not all media can work as well without being adapted to adjust to cultural differences, the television series the office has both a British and American version. The office was originally a British comedy though the American adaption also saw popularity amongst American viewers once adapted and moved away from the British original.  It still remained funny due to the breaking of the rules except the rules were changed and the characters modified to suit an American audience. Not all comedy series have this success and sometimes when a show is being modified it takes away from the original brilliance and uniqueness that had lead to it’s original popularity. The Australian television Kath and Kim is famous for it’s ‘unusual’ language and it’s bogan characters who’s worst features are exemplified, also the idea of the actors being around the same age and playing characters who are a whole generation apart is seen as humorous. However when the American re-make was made not all sayings and slangs could be translated and the outrages behaviour that was an exaggerated reality of an Australian mother and daughter relationship was difficult to re-create into an American stereotype that could be seen as funny. Along with characters such as Prue and Trude which the majority of Australians could relate to due to knowing similar real life characters which allowed them to be able to share the joke. American’s having different cultural behaviours didn’t understand these characters and behaviours as they couldn’t relate and taking away from the originality and abruptness took away the it’s original spark that had created it’s popularity. Show’s such as Modern Family that have had great international success have also had modified versions for external viewers, an Islamic version of the show had to make changes to the characters due to religious values are not accepting of homo-sexual couples so the characters had to be excluded. For a joke to be funny it has to be understood that is why as shown not all jokes can cross cultural borders and some the joke needs to be slightly modified so it suits the cultures values and behaviours.

Clark, K.R. 1991, British import In Dame Edna Everage, what you see is not precisely what you get, Chicago, Ill.

Australia.gov.au, (2014). austn-comedy. http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-comedy [Accessed 8 Oct. 2014].

Turnbull, S (2008) ‘It’s Like They Threw a Panther in the Air and Caught It in Embroidery’: Television Comedy in translation’ Metro Magazine Issue 159 Dec

Harmon, S., McKinnon, A. and Shaw, R. (2014). Iran’s Anti-Gay ‘Modern Family’ And Five Other Bizarre International TV Adaptations. unkee.

: http://junkee.com/five-bizarre-international-tv-remakes/37287 [Accessed 9 Oct. 2014].

October 9, 2014October 22, 2014 by zoekennedy15495 Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment