Group Number: 12 Group Members: Sherif Khairy, Jordan Kij, Casey King, & Miho Kinoshita Media Object: Our group project will be based on “The Interview”, a film that was originally supposed to be released in theaters around the world, however due to threats from North Korea and online hacks, Sony released the film on streaming services, such as Netflix and Google Play. The reason we’ve decided to tackle “The Interview”, directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen is because the film has received multiple threats and backlash from the North Korea. The plot of the film is about a journalist, who lands an interview with the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Later on in the film the journalist goes on a mission, where he must assassinate the dictator. During the month of July 2014, North Korean ambassador, Ja Song Nam spoke about the film to the United Nations, where he declared that North Korea considered this is an act of war, he also stated that “A reckless United States can provocate insanity”. However, despite the hacks and threats, Sony released the film in limited theaters and later on “The Interview” was released on streaming services, such as Netflix. That's why our group finds this topic so interesting, so much hard work went into trying to release the film, even though Sony knew they were taking a major risk.

1. “The Interview”
Group 12
Members: Sherif Khairy, Casey King, Miho Kinoshita, and Jordan Kij

2. Medium:
 In John Durham’s “Mass Media”, he states “In the once
dominant language of information theory, every medium has a
message, a channel, and senders and receivers. In the field of
media studies, media are seen as constellations of programs,
institutions and technologies, and audiences. In computer
language, media consist of data, processors, and user-
interfaces. Whatever the terminology, it is crucial that media
involves some version of these three aspects, though there can
be great variety in the way they are configured.”
 Sherif Khairy

3. Medium & Format
 A film format is still photography, where related cameras and equipment are
used. “The Interview” is live action film, which is the most common film
medium. However, there are two other types of film mediums, such as 2D
animation and CG animation. With live action films, the chemistry between
characters is key. Each actor uses the things and people around him or her in
order to enhance their performance. Improvisation is sometimes considered the
most powerful aspect of the film, which is something both James Franco and
Seth Rogen did a lot of in “The Interview”. With live action, characters are able
to bounce off each other much easily, which allows the scene to be expressed in
several different ways. Humor between James Franco and Seth Rogen allows for
a dynamic like no other. This allows for more serious scenes to seem comedic,
since “The Interview” is a comedy.
 Sherif Khairy

4. Differences Between Formats:
 There are many differences between live action films and animated films.
For example, the time it takes to just shoot one shot. With live action,
people take a camera and record real life footage. However, on the
animation side of things, people have an animator for each character.
Animators can spend weeks or months just working on a short second clip.
An animator needs to have a firm understanding of movement that way he
or she can draw multiple dimensions of the character correctly. Live action
can sometimes have curve balls thrown at the actors, where both people
have to improvise off each other. This works specifically well in comedic
films. Pre-production is the most important aspect in animation, while
post-production is important for live action.
 Sherif Khairy

5. Cinema Attraction:
 In Tom Gunning’s “The Cinema of Attraction: Early Film, Its
Spectator and the Avant-Garde”, he states “What precisely is
the cinema of attraction? First it is a cinema that bases itself
on the quality that Leger celebrated: its ability to show
something. An aspect of early cinema, which I have written
about in other articles is emblematic of this different
relationship the cinema of attractions constructs with its
spectator: the recurring look at the camera by actors.” (p. 64)
 Casey King

6. Form & Content:
 The Interview’s politically based content and overall international theme is what
makes it the controversial film that it is. Unlike other American movies that use
indirect remarks here and there to denote foreigners, the plot of The Interview in
its entirety is an outright portrayal of North Korea through an American lens. The
storyline consists of two television journalists who land an interview with North
Korea’s dictator Kim Jong-un. However, the plot takes a turn, which is where all of
the global conflict comes into play. In the movie, the CIA hears about the interview
with the Korean dictator, and assign the two men on a secret mission to
assassinate Kim Jong-un instead. With James Franko and Seth Rogan as the lead
roles, there was only one genre this film would fall into, and that was obviously
going to be comedy. The storyline of the film was already risky of American
filmmakers considering our relationship with North Korea, but to deliver it using a
comedic aesthetic definitely took it a step further, and probably not in the right
direction.
 Casey King

7. Form & Content:
 Throughout the history of American cinema, The Interview isn’t the first to cause a
political upset, but in this particular situation, the North Korean government
actively objected the movie’s release into theaters. As the dispute played out,
people fought that The Interview was not just a derogatory depiction of North
Korea, but it was also seen as a threat and act of terrorism considering its plot to
assassinate a government leader. On the contrary, American filmmakers and actors
argued that if the movie was cancelled and withheld from theaters, their right to
freedom of expression was being neglected. The Interview serves us as prime
example of just how influential Hollywood and cinema are as media objects. It
doesn't just express our own culture, but it also represents America’s national
visions, which as we can see, could be powerful enough to impact critical subjects
like foreign policies.
 Casey King

8. Viewer Experience:
 Since “The Interview” is a comedic film, most viewers probably
won’t take it seriously, but by making fun of North Korea’s
supreme leader many viewers perceive North Korea as foolish
for following someone so harsh. The viewer is engaged
through laughter due to jokes provided throughout the film,
giving a sense of humor to Kim Jong-un’s insanity.
 Miho Kinoshita

9. White/American Supremacy in Hollywood Films:
 In Stuart Hall’s “The Oppositional Gaze Black Female Spectators”, he states “When
most black people in the United States first had the opportunity to look at film and
television, they were fully aware that mass media was a system of knowledge and
power reproducing and maintaining white supremacy.” (p.117)
 This could be said about “The Interview”, where viewers may feel empowered over
North Korea. The film preserves Kim Jong-un as an insane and cruel dictator. This
perception of Kim Jon-g-un can cause people to view North Korea as foolish for
following someone so barbaric. People begin to analyze differences between their
country and North Korea, which causes them to jump into several conclusions. This
leaves people feeling superior towards one another, since their country may have
better benefits and isn’t under a vicious dictatorship like North Korea.
 Miho Kinoshita

10. Distribution:
 Sony Pictures intended on releasing “The Interview” worldwide.
However, due to threats from North Korea and the hacker
group, Sony released the film online through streaming
services, such as Netflix and Google Play. The film was also
released in select independent cinemas. Since the film was in
such high demand, “The Interview” topped $40 million dollars
in online and on-demand sales. Later on the film was became
available on Blu-ray and DVD.
 Miho Kinoshita

11. Interaction:
 “The Interview” shapes the way a viewer/consumer sees the world.
Although the film is a comedy, it does address the hardships of North
Korea, such as no freedom of speech, no freedom of movement and
chronic food shortages. With all these issues addressed in the film, a
person would view North Korea as a place filled with restrictions because
of their ruthless dictator Kim Jong-un. A viewer might feel empathy
towards the people of North Korea because of how limited they are
compared to places, such as the United States. There is a massive
difference between living in a democracy and living in a dictatorship. The
people of North Korea don’t have a say, while someone in the United
States has the freedom of expression and speech, so one can’t help but
feel sorry. The people of North Korea deal with this savagery on a daily
basis.
 Sherif Khairy

12. Media Ideology:
 In Louis Althusser’s “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”,
he states “A theory of ideologies depends on the last resort on the
history of social formations, and thus of the modes of production
combined in social formations, and of the class struggles which
develop in them. In this sense it is clear that there can be no
question of a theory of ideologies in general, since ideologies have
a history, whose determination in the last instance is clearly situated
outside ideologies alone, although it involves them.” (p.107)
 Jordan Kij

13. Message:
 The message that our object constructs is the fragile nature of
international relations. Not only was Sony going back and forth with North
Korea, but so was the United States. When Sony originally canceled the
viewing of “The Interview” across all theaters, President Barack Obama
called this an attack on freedom of expression. North Korea’s ambassador,
Ja Song Nam discussed the film with the United Nations, where he
declared that North Korea considered this as an act of war, he also stated
that, “A reckless United States can provicate insanity.” North Korea feared
the negative stigma that “The Interview” would have on their supreme
leader Kim Jong-un.
 Jordan Kij

14. Media Technology:
 Media technology can break global boundaries and bring a mirror image
of issues. Our object serves the role of entertainment and unintentional
provocation. Media in most forms can have unintended political
consequences. The movie served to cause an aggressive reaction by the
nation the movie was portraying. Which brought the movie itself into the
global spotlight for a brief time. The object constructs an image of
freedom as a message of freedom. Media does not know limits and
therefore has a much larger reach. With media true freedom from any
constraints is easily attainable. Media technology allows society to see
what happens across the globe behind closed doors or borders. The role
while being entertainment is also one of unintentional provocation and
this can cause anger and outrage.
 Jordan Kij

15. Work Cited Page:
 John Durham Peters. “Mass Media.” 2007. (read by Sherif Khairy)
 Gunning, Tom. “The Cinema of Attraction: Early Film, Its Spectator and
Avant-Garde.” 2005. (read by Casey King)
 Hall, Stuart. “The Oppositional Gaze Black Female Spectators.” 2003.
(read by Miho Kinoshita)
 Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses.” 1970.
(read by Jordan Kij)

16. Group 12
MEMBERS: SHERIF KHAIRY, JORDAN KIJ, CASEY KING, & MIHO KINOSHITA