This is the second paper in a series of studies on Remix Culture, which applies the theoretical background of understanding remix and mashup to Roberto Voorbij's short film One Minute Silence in terms of its formal and ideological strategies.
The main focus of this paper will be on the ideological and political dimension of critical remix practices. It will focus on appropriation as the ideological strategy of certain remix practices. A working definition of appropriation will be derived from one of the most influential publications on the topic by Julie Sanders. This understanding of appropriation will then be contextualized in the field of remix studies.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Understanding Appropriation
3 Sampling and Appropriation in Roberto Voorbij’s One Minute Silence
3.1 Formal Aspects: Sampling, Cutting, and Editing
3.2 Ideological Aspects: Appropriation and the Politics of Silence
4 Conclusion: The Role of Critical Remix as a Counter-discursive Practice
Research Objectives & Topics
This paper examines how sampling and appropriation function as ideological strategies in contemporary critical remix practices, using Roberto Voorbij's short film "One Minute Silence" as a primary case study to demonstrate how artistic manipulation of news media can expose and challenge mainstream discursive hierarchies.
- Theoretical exploration of appropriation vs. adaptation.
- Analysis of formal remix techniques (sampling, cutting, editing).
- The political and ideological significance of silence in media.
- Remix as a counter-discursive tool for viewer agency.
- Critical reflection on the power structures of mainstream television.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Formal Aspects: Sampling, Cutting, and Editing
One Minute Silence remixes CNN news live footages of tragic events. It exclusively selects moments when the news anchors and reporters do not speak. The artist captures the otherwise hidden moments when the journalists emotionally react to breaking news. Such personal gestures contrast the seemingly objective news format. Renita Coleman and H. Denis Wu, in their study of nonverbal cues in crisis coverage, have pointed out that journalists are expected to control their emotional responses to tragic events. Such displays, however, are rather difficult to avoid (1–2). Facial expressions invariably provide information about the person’s affective state (Burgoon, Birk, and Pfau qtd. in ibid. 1) and even invoke a similar reaction in the viewer (Englis qtd. in ibid. 2).
One Minute Silence quite effectively makes use of these phenomena. It features the news anchors and reporters as they silently look directly in the camera. This invokes a face-to-face interaction between the viewers and the journalists. Such speechless but yet profoundly humane dialogues between audience and presenters challenge conventional modes of representation. These interactions are marked by a shared failure to come to terms with the impact of the information revealed: [The] time to think is also a time to feel. The task of cognitively processing what has happened and making sense of it occurs at the same time as their emotional processing begins; the two types of processing together are simply overwhelming. (ibid. 13)
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the research focus on appropriation within remix studies and outlines the guiding questions concerning the relationship between original and remixed media.
2 Understanding Appropriation: This section defines appropriation as a valid cultural practice and contrasts it with adaptation, highlighting its potential to challenge dominant discursive hierarchies.
3 Sampling and Appropriation in Roberto Voorbij’s One Minute Silence: This chapter provides a concrete analysis of Voorbij's work, divided into technical formal aspects and the ideological implications of silence as a political strategy.
4 Conclusion: The Role of Critical Remix as a Counter-discursive Practice: The final chapter synthesizes findings, arguing that effective critical remix serves as a tool for autonomy by subverting mainstream media representations.
Keywords
Remix Studies, Appropriation, Adaptation, Critical Remix, One Minute Silence, Roberto Voorbij, CNN, Sampling, Ideology, Counter-discourse, Media Studies, Television, Political Mashup, Silence, Hegemony
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores how sampling and appropriation are utilized as ideological strategies within critical remix practices, specifically analyzing Roberto Voorbij’s film "One Minute Silence".
What are the core thematic fields covered?
The work covers remix studies, media theory, the politics of silence, and the subversion of mainstream news formats through artistic appropriation.
What is the central research goal?
The goal is to understand how critical remix can serve as a counter-discursive practice that exposes underlying power structures in mass media.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The paper employs a qualitative analysis, integrating media studies theory—particularly Julie Sanders’ definitions of appropriation—with a close reading of the formal and ideological aspects of the film.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines the technical aspects of sampling and editing, the "politics of silence," and how the film acts as a meta-commentary on the news format.
How would you describe this work using keywords?
Key terms include Remix Studies, Appropriation, Critical Remix, Media Ideology, and Counter-discourse.
How does the film "One Minute Silence" challenge traditional news formats?
By selecting only the silent, emotional moments of news anchors, the film strips away the "objective" news facade, forcing a face-to-face, human interaction that subverts conventional media representation.
What is the significance of the "politics of silence" in this context?
Silence is analyzed as a powerful, communicative tool that can either uphold dominant power structures or, as in the film, serve as a site of resistance and political expression.
- Quote paper
- Rüdiger Thomsen (Author), 2016, Sampling and Appropriation as Formal and Ideological Strategies. Roberto Voorbij's Short-Film "One Minute Silence", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1158116
