Swapnil Rai, Screen Arts and Cultures | 2020-2021
This project is an alternative assessment to my traditional written final exam. Its primary goal is developing critical thinking and engagement with the public and the industry and provide an opportunity for students to blend critical thinking with industry studies. It examines the presence and operations of OTT (over the top) platforms such as Netflix/Disney+/Amazon to understand how they challenge and complicate our understanding of global media flows. It frames these changes in the global media landscape in terms of larger debates such as cultural imperialism, cultural hybridity, creative/industrial clusters etc. It also examines the localization/globalization of a specific international show in a particular national/regional context. As part of this project, students will create a podcast that will analyze the production context of the shows from the specific geographic region as well as its international flow and reception through the mega OTT platforms. They will think about genre, casting, structure, narrative details, production partnerships with local content creators and resulting synergies with local media/films industries and media producers. They will analyze the show’s universal appeal, what kinds of appeal and audience Netflix is trying to create/hail through the show? How do these practices intersect with ideas of deterritorialization, media hybridity and imperialism? What types of questions do these emergent practices raise about the future of global media flows specific to the media region that they chose to analyze? They will also provide graphics/charts of Netflix partnerships in their selected region.
I believe this type of assessment promotes students’ critical thinking skills and spurs student engagement and interest in this FTVM course and the major in general, in addition, to helping them gain technical skills vital for them in this major. I plan to expand this activity to my other classes as well including the Transnational Women’s Cinema class where students will reflect on the works of a female filmmaker and whether streaming platforms are creating a new kind of space for women’s voices in the media industry. Another assessment component that I can add in future courses is podcast interviews with Netflix and other media professionals.