"Bus Uncle"
1.How many viewers are estimated to have watched the youtube video?
According to Youtube(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSHziqJWYcM), about 2,613,359 views to have watched "Bus Uncle", but I believe at least 4,000,000 viewers have watched this video in differrnt versions/subtitles.
2. How would you rate the video?
•Is it of high quality in technical terms? Is it interesting aesthetically eg camera angles, use of light, the narrative, and so on?
•Does it raise interesting socio-cultural issues?
Well, for technical term, i won't rate this video high. The video-taker only used his mobile/ camera to take the scene secretly. There is no use of lights, no narrative, no special effect. The only thing that we can find in the video is two men's conversation about talking on phone on the bus, plus the viewrs' laughing noise.Only later on, we can find the subtitle one on youtube.
However, i definetly rate high in term of social and cultural aspect. This video really raises many Hong Kong people, or other countries' people interest. The young man ask the old man talked on phone in a quiet voice so that he didn't disturb others on the bus. Then the old man scold the young man loudly with using poor manner, saying that he was under stress. From this video, we know two things. The old man did wrong, but did not accept the yong man's advice, and even scold him back. The old man was against the bus rules by disturbing others and saying obscene language.Second, Hong Kong people face the problem of under stress. They face pressure during working days, but they don't know how to release/ reduce the stress. This becomes a "bomb" when they are under uncomfortable situation.
"Bus Uncle" can let other countries' people understand Hong Kong culture. Hong Kong people talk on phone everywhere, even on the bus. This is different from Japanese culture. People can learn the Hong Kong language, like how to response ithe bad language (though it's bad to use this kind of language!!!!)
3. Do you think it deserved the attention that it received from the internet community?
It definitely gets the attention from thye internet community. First of all, when we look at the number of views under the video, we can find that millions of people have watched this videos. There are also thousands of people leave the comments after watching it. Then newspapers post the news as well, more and more people know this issue. Later on, the newspapers or magazines wanted to have interviews with these two men. Then even TV programs or advertisements also re-acted similar secenes again. People also use techniolgy and remix what Bus Uncle said into a song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v48tRk-Yy8&feature=related). Or some print tees to gain profits from this issue.(http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20060716002855/evchk/images/thumb/e/e1/06la4p6.jpg/303px-06la4p6.jpg)
4) Do video- sharing sites such as Youtube enhance or worsen creative culture?Comment.
Everything has both good and bad sides, just depends on how we view the videos.
Video- sharing sites can share some interesting and exciting news to others. For example, "Bus Uncle" is first posted Youtube, then it immediately raise public concern on the issue. People can also use video- sharing sites to express their opinions on current matters. "Leave Britney Alone!" is an example that a fan of Britney Spears reacted to what paparazzis did to Britney.
Video- sharring sites can also allow users make some creative videos. From "Creativity meets circulation: Internet videos, amateurs and the process of evolution", Roman Marek mentions" The technology of digital video editing allows even a beginner to use only certain parts of the orginal video- clip. As a result, we can see dozens of recycling/Mash-Up/ Re-edit or remix videos." (1)From this, it shows video- sharring sites gives an opportunity to users to put their finished creative videos to others, letting others leave comments on their work.
Besides, video-sharring sites can bring us some people famous by their creavtity. Chris Crocker is the ggod example. At first, no one knowed a boy called Chris Crocker. With the wide spread on watching and commenting of his video,"Leave Britney Alone!", Chris Crocker become one of the internet celebrities. Eveytime when he uploads his video,the video has at least 100 thosand views. He can gain so many responses as he use personal emotional expression to response current issues. As a result, people start making some funny things or use personal advance to create videos and become internet celebrities.
On the other side, video-sharring sites cause the problem of copyright. Users post videos that haven't asked for allowance from the copyright owners. Many music videos on the sites are not approved by the owners and are posted on sites. This really wosrens creative culture as creative companys cannot gain profits for further development.
In my opinion, video-sharring sites are still good for creative culture. People can bring their ideas into reality with making simple digital videos and share to others. Then other people can remix/recycle.... the videos, making same videos into differnt versions, which become more and more creative.
You have talked about the people from other countries can learn our culture by looking at our videos. I think that is true and it is one of the benefit from YouTube, as we can see the real culture but not the stereotyped one when we are watch Youtube, sometimes we may only can see some stereotype culture on TV (such as Chinese is good at kungfu, American likes french fries...etc).
回覆刪除by the way, I think you can change ur font color to white, as not all the people know how to reveal your article by highlighting the words
Maggie, about the question of whether video- sharing sites enhance or worsen creative culture, I think you condiser very deeply. Yes, everything has both negative and positive aspects which depends on how we view it. But after weighting both sides of the aspects, I think the advantages are more than the disadvantages, just like you said above.
回覆刪除U are right , maggie~ The good or bad of these sharing sites depends on our own evaluation. Because some people may simply want to share their videos to the others.These acts are good because the creative culture can be strengthen.However, someone may use this platform for bullying.Thus, these sites really have good or bad sides.
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