Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Mobile Divide is Dwindling


Kevin Guidry brings into spectrum a very interesting topic by stating that there is a digital divide between the many different cultures in America. Digital divide can be classified as not owning a computer or having access to the Internet.

 Based on the information provided Guidry would not have been inaccurate to assume that a digital divide would be a problem in the future, however this is based off of old facts. Though it may not seem as old, being as most of the information that Guidry calls upon was cited in roughly 2009, a lot has changed within the past three years

Smart phones are more advanced then ever


Not only are these devices use to make phone calls, but they can also receive emails, browse the web, and download apps; all which can be done with relative ease.

Based upon the research done by the Pew Research Center it is easy to see that within the past four years the use of Internet on mobile devices has been on the rise. From 2009 to 2012 the percentage of adults that use devices in order to browse the web has increased by 28%.

This is where I have to disagree with Guidry the there will be a mobile divide, based upon his definition. Based on the definition stated above, this clearly shows that use of mobile devices to access the Internet is on a rise and on a decline. The problem with owning computers will no longer be an issue either; desktops will become obsolete in the next ten years if not five.

Now, with smart phones almost anyone is able to access the internet with their phone even if they do not have a computer


Based on more research by the Pew Research Center, Blacks and Hispanics, which were stated specifically as the cultures that would be hit the hardest by the mobile divide, have gone up 20% in the last four years when it came to using their mobile devices to access the internet.

I personally think that there will no longer be a digital divide. The reasons for this is because portable devices are soon going to take the place a big bulky computers; who knows maybe in 10 years laptops will be considered a bulky nuisance! Not only are these devices more convenient to use they are also much more affordable.



Affordability will play the biggest factor in the future of digital divide


In the past computers were extremely expensive, and on top of the price of computers issue Internet bills had to be paid every month, which were pricey as well. Now, price is no longer an issue. When an individual buys a device they are not simply just buying a device for one purpose, they are buying a device that combines many different components into one easily usable, convenient, and efficient device.

Essentially a mobile divide is a thing of the past and before anyone knows it we will all be connected through our mobile device. 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Bollywood: A Theatrical and Musical Spectacle


Bollywood, no you did not misread this word for Hollywood, yes Bollywood. Dating as far back as 1899, Bollywood is the Indian equivalent of American Hollywood, and is second in the film production market only to that of Hollywood. Bollywood first originated in Bombay, which is now currenctly Mumbai, and this is where the name Bollywood originated.  



The business model for a typical Bollywood production is split up into three phases, Production, distribution, and exhibition. Production itself is also split into three different levels; there is pre-shooting, the actual shooting and post shooting. Pre-shooting consists of, obviously, everything that needs to take place in order for a successful movie to be made. So this is the time when final ideas will be gathered to make sure that an interesting movie is being made that will actually gather an audience. This is also the time when a marketing strategy will be made in order to properly advertise and budget for the movie.
Next the actual filming of the movie will occur. Besides filming there are other tedious aspects that need to be completed. One aspect of filming that most people take for granted and don’t understand how much time is spent in the production of movies is erecting a set. Especially curtailing to a Bollywood film very elaborate sets will take place, especially during the very essential dance scene, which the staple of every Bollywood film. When shooting at a specific location production teams do not simply just set up their equipment and start filming, permits must be acquired, which is another process of filming, before any kind of filming may take place. Though the first two phases are important the last phase is one of the most important phases


The last phase of production is postproduction. Contradictory to common believe the most work is done during the postproduction of a film. The first part of postproduction is editing. During editing essentially a film editor takes new footage, which is just a reel a pictures, and combines them in order to make an efficient reel so the movie is the appropriate amount of time. Next comes audio and dubbing. Dubbing is extremely important for Bollywood films because most of the actors are not able to sing in the musical aspect of the movie. So what happens during this stage is that a professional singer will sing a song and then it will be dubbed over what has already been filmed. What is interesting about this is that the audience realizes that the actors are not able to sing so the singer and actors are both respected in their own way and their own rights. Negative cutting is what follows next and this when extra scenes are cut out of the film. Last steps can be combined, and they are Printing, publicity, and distribution.
Within the last steps of the Bollywood business model distribution comes after the production phase. For a Bollywood film distribution mostly stays in within the domestic area. However, there are some cases in which films have made it out of India and in most cases these films only go to the UK. The last phase is exhibition; this phase consists of making the movie available to the public, most frequently being the use of DVD’s.
1975 seemed to be the golden age of for Bollywood. Three of the most influential movies were created during this time period. The first movie is Shaloy, as time magazine calls it, “There's a complex revenge plot and lots of nifty action scenes in Ramesh Sippy's curry western, but its heart lies with the two outlaw heroes. Maybe the burliest male love story ever made.” The second movie created during the Bollywood golden age was Deewar, which is about a man who rises to the top of what seemed to be an Indian gang; there was very compelling acting. The last movie that was a part of the golden age of Bollywood was Aandhi. It was very striking that this movie became so popular because it strayed away from the common model for a Bollywood film. Aandhi consisted of a mature romance along with including very strong political aspects, which were unheard of for this time.
            It seems that the most influence by Americans on Bollywood comes from the business model. Essentially the business models are the exact same. This may certainly have to do with that this particular business model generates the most success.