Postmodernism

LO: Do I understand issues of postmodernism?

Am I able to identify elements of postmodernism in a media text?

Last lesson… We began to learn some terms of postmodernism.

Watch this: which postmodern technique most describes what is taking place here?

a) Bricolage

b) Hyper-reality

c) Intertextuality?

There some hints in the video – but what are the effects of this on society?

Hyper-reality Who can remember what this means?

Baudrilliard’s theory surrounds the idea we live in a state of the blurring of reality and simulation, which he called ‘hyper-reality’.

Simulacra: Copies that depict things that either had no reality to begin with, or that no longer have an original.

Simulation: The imitation of a real-world process or system.

Simulacra or Simulation? Example One

Example Two

Example Three

Bricolage and Hybridity

What was the meaning of these two terms?

(Hint, hint…)

Bricolage and Hybridity Bricolage: When lots of different elements are combined within one media

text – e.g. elements of horror, mixed with songs, mixed with animation, mixed with different format styles.

Hybridity: When two (or more) elements merge. Typically this is done through genre.

The point of both techniques is to construct a ‘media puzzle’ for the audience. The postmodern audience is meant to be intelligent and require complex texts to engage them.

Bricolage or Hybridity? Look at the following music videos. Which one is an example of

Bricolage and which one is an example of hybridity and why?

Intertextuality What’s it all about?

(Hint, hint…)

Parody and Pastiche

Parody: When a media text makes fun of another media text – usually with the aim of making the audience want a social/political change. Jameson (1991) saw parody as the comic intention to ‘produce an imitation which mocks the original’ that acknowledges what it imitates.

Pastiche: When a media text refers to another media text in a respectful way. It celebrates it rather than mocks it.

Parody or Pastiche? They are very similar...

Pastiche is a respectful imitation of a media text whereas parody makes fun of the text.

Parody or Pastiche?

Flight of the Conchords 1 (and it’s source)

Flight of the Conchords 2 (and it’s source)

And then... The Flight of the Conchords also appeared in an episode of The Simpsons.

Is it:

- Intertextual?

- Parody?

- Pastiche?

Putting it together…

We are going to watch some extracts from postmodern texts.

Identify the elements of postmodernism in the text.

Thinking forward:

How could you use elements of postmodernism in your own coursework next year?

“The post-modern world is where everything is possible and almost nothing is certain.”

Look at the statement above. How much do you agree with it?

(Remember your opinion will always be valid according to postmodernists!)

Before you escape…

Tell your partner:

a) Two Postmodern aesthetics you can remember and think you have analysed successfully?

b) One aesthetic you are still unsure of or would like to know more about.