"Real"ity tV

The existence, concept, and interaction on the public that Reality shows 
embody greatly influences my thesis work.
   One aspect is the role of the audience in viewing Reality shows as well as in my own version of exploitation of reality. Through my research I’ve gathered that a major attraction in Reality tv is that it has a story line meant to entice viewers with its drama and characters. McKay supports this conclusion in reference to a report that, “claims that the continued success of these shows is dependent upon the “outrageousness of the content’ “(McKay). The audience becomes invested in the outcomes because the show is created almost completely to cater to and make them feel included. Consequently, the audience gains power over the show as, “networks strive to reach the next level of shock value for their audiences”(McKay) when initially the show had power them. I am very excited to explore the condition of documentation and its appeal to audiences.
    Reality shows, “collapsing boundaries between news and entertainment”(Hall)
and their degree of actual documentation...
It is uncertain how much depicted is actual reality but when legitimate documentation is presented, the content is no longer a plot for entertainment, it is raw and independent from predetermined success. The dynamic of relying on pure documentation as entertainment intrigues me and directly affects my thesis and artwork in general. This makes for a promising endeavor of combining
Real life social interaction to appeal to the viewer
while also being very attentive of the aspect and technique of Reality shows.
         Fortunately, MyWork differs from what I am inspired by..  
what I present is something new and lively, with a different kind of context, subjects, and characters. I reveal a lifestyle that is on the fringe of the norm, exposing a domain less represented by the media and other outlets. In doing so, I maintain a commitment to interesting content while, similarly to Reality tv, expressing common human themes of social interaction, community, and narrative progression.

McKay, Hollie. “Trashy MTV Reality Shows Primarily Use Women to Trash Women, Study Shows”. Fox News: Entertainment, 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2012