Which football fan or national team supporter is not dreaming of being as close to his or her favourite team as possible? Who would not want to be a mouse in the locker room and watch how the coach gives your favourite players an energetic pep talk. This dream can be fulfilled by the web spots ´Die Deutsche 11 Backstage` (d11b), which is a humorous account of the events happening behind the scenes of the German national team before, during and after the 2006 world cup. In this animated and creative version of Sönke Wortmann`s documentary Deutschland – Ein Sommermärchen (ARD, 2006), the enthusiastic team kicks footballs, makes jokes and drinks beer while coach Klinsmann aka ´Klinsi` is trying to motivate them in the locker room or even via web cam from his residence in the US. The name of the show, which is only available on the web or on DVD, is an allusion to the German Football Association dfb. The show was created by two football fans and animation producers who put it on their business website and caused a big fan base to emerge. Picked up by television and other media, the show became very popular. Thereby, it profited from the generally increasing popularity of German football immediately after the world cup.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Format and Genre
´Conventional` Documentary
´Unconventional` Documentary
Discussion
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the web-based animated series "Die Deutsche 11 Backstage" (d11b) to determine its classification within existing genre categories, particularly the documentary, while exploring the evolving dichotomy between fact and fiction in digital media.
- The hybridization of formats and genres in web-based programming.
- The comparative analysis between traditional television documentaries and web-based content.
- The impact of interactivity on the producer-consumer relationship.
- The role of remediation and intertextuality in digital storytelling.
- The emergence of new opportunities for user participation and "viewsing."
Excerpt from the Book
´Conventional` Documentary
Since d11b is inspired by a conventional or traditional documentary, the question arises what elements make a conventional documentary and in what way is d11b different. The term documentary itself is very hotly debated. Corner (1996, p. 3) states that “documentary work is almost always premised on a certain epistemology which itself is grounded in the recording of the particular, physical real by camera and microphone.” Ellis (2005, p. 351) then expresses a certain insecurity about the truth value of these recordings when saying that “Documentary depends on a constantly renegotiated understanding of the status of its footage as evidence” in an impossible attempt “of aligning recording with reality”. Winston (2000, p. 20) goes even further by describing these recordings as “images of the real world (used) for the purposes of personal expression.” Ward (2005, p. 11) tries to account for the complexity of the genre by describing documentary as “complex interaction between text, context, producer and spectator.” Kilborn and Izod (1997, p. 7) describe the reputation of documentary as “a serious, worthy, but ultimately boring form of programming”.
What all of these definitions have in common is their attempt to account for the varying ways of presenting material in documentaries and the varying degrees of objectivity or impartiality linked to the selected way of representation. Therefore, in this paper the term conventional documentary is used to describe programmes that try to maximize the level of objectivity and authenticity by recording and presentation methods which are as close to the recorded material as possible. The ´fact-rich` British documentary film tradition emphasised a ´truthful` production process, while the American tradition focused on social arguments (Paget, 1998). The Griersonian tradition encouraged a ´creative treatment of actuality` and paved the way for more unconventional and post-modern methods of representation such as reconstruction, animation, humour and social, emotional or artistic arguments (ibid.). The theories underlying these traditions are direct cinema, which assumes that the camera is capable of objective record, and cinema vérité assumes that the filmmaking process intervenes in the events filmed (Mills, 2004).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the rise of the web-based series "Die Deutsche 11 Backstage" and sets the stage for exploring its classification within documentary and television genres.
Format and Genre: Details the production background of d11b and clarifies the theoretical distinctions between format and genre in a media-studies context.
´Conventional` Documentary: Examines traditional definitions of documentary work, focusing on objectivity and the tension between "reality" and "representation."
´Unconventional` Documentary: Explores how animation, parody, and humour can still serve documentary functions by challenging boundaries between truth and fiction.
Discussion: Investigates the concept of "remediation" and how digital media like the web refashion television while creating new opportunities for audience interactivity.
Conclusion: Reflects on how the web has evolved its own approach to genre, blurring the lines between producers and consumers in a "virtual public sphere."
Keywords
Documentary, d11b, Web-based programming, Genre classification, Remediation, Animation, Clay-mation, Fact and Fiction, Media convergence, Interactivity, Digital storytelling, Reality TV, Television studies, Fan culture, Virtual public sphere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on analyzing the web-based animated series "Die Deutsche 11 Backstage" to see how it fits into traditional media categories like the documentary.
Which specific themes are explored?
Central themes include the hybridization of media genres, the blurring of fact and fiction, the convergence of television and web technologies, and the role of the active audience.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to investigate whether a short-form, animated web parody can be categorized as a documentary by identifying if it possesses documentary production styles and makes a critical argument.
What scientific methods are applied?
The paper utilizes a comparative analysis approach, contrasting the format of d11b against traditional documentary conventions and theoretical frameworks like remediation and intertextuality.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section moves from the production history of d11b to a theoretical debate on "conventional" versus "unconventional" documentary modes, and finally a discussion on how the web functions as a new cultural form.
Which keywords define the scope of this work?
Key terms include remediation, documentary, media convergence, hybridization, digital culture, and interactivity.
How does d11b mock traditional documentary conventions?
It uses elements like hand-held camera movements and private settings, then subverts them through humor, parody, and the revelation of artificiality, such as Klinsmann appearing via webcam rather than in the locker room.
What conclusion does the author draw regarding the "producer-consumer" divide?
The author concludes that the web is challenging the traditional divide by allowing consumers to become active participants and creators, potentially fostering a more democratic "virtual public sphere."
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2007, Documentary on the web? - An analysis of the 'Deutsche 11 Backstage' (d11b), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/78213
