Jason Mittell

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I feel like we have not sufficiently considered the massive cultural and social transformations that have occurred over the past four decades to make it possible for me to hear "Hells Bells" by AC/DC as unremarkable background music in my supermarket today.

I'm so excited to present the very first Videographic Book, a series of multimedia books combining writing & video essays!!! I've been working on it for a number of years, so it's such a pleasure to see it compiled and presented as a full-fledged ebook - open-access, peer-reviewed, fully archived and integrated into bibliographic systems!

I present:
Jason Mittell, The Chemistry of Character in #BreakingBad: A Videographic Book (Lever Press, 2024). https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.14330227

The Chemistry of Character in Breaking Bad: A Videographic Book

This multimedia, open access project explores the landmark American television series <i>Breaking Bad</i> (2008–13) via the emerging format of videographic criticism. Featuring a collection of open access video essays, this “videographic book” aims to interpret the particular modes of characterization within the series and discusses the significance of character as an aspect of media storytelling. With this innovative project, author Jason Mittell demonstrates the vital importance and exciting possibilities of analyzing a medium using its own media form.   Videographic criticism examines media using the same material that it seeks to analyze: sounds and moving images. Videographic practices can reveal otherwise hidden facets of media, with videographic works potentially exploring aesthetic, experimental, poetic, and affective dimensions more effectively than written scholarship. <i>Breaking Bad</i>, which won dozens of awards throughout its five seasons, is particularly suitable for videographic criticism due to its notably vivid visual and aural style. Additionally, its construction of character is distinctive and groundbreaking, making it a welcome series to advance understanding of characterization in television and its connections to important facets like identity politics, morality, and viewer engagement. Each video essay can be viewed separately or watched together in the context of the book. This book will be of interest to academics focused on television, media studies, and narrative theory, and also to fans of the series and its vibrant characters. The format of this project is truly unique: it acts almost as a viewing guide with more than 20 embedded video essays alongside brief written commentaries contextualizing the videos. The <i>Chemistry of Character in Breaking Bad</i> is a great resource for any reader or viewer who wants to dive into the series once again. <b>About the author</b> Jason Mittell is Professor of Film & Media Culture at Middlebury College. He has published seven books on American television, narrative theory, and videographic criticism.

More thoughts on data presentation.

Last night I went to a fabulous concert, celebrating 20th anniversary of Death Cab for Cutie's Transatlanticism and Postal Service's Give Up, with my 19yo daughter (who loves both albums/bands as much as me)!

It got me thinking of some comparison landmark albums that were released a year before I was born that I was into at age 19: Abbey Road; Tommy; Let It Bleed; Trout Mask Replica.

Just finished watching #ImAVirgo and I'm blown away. Kudos to Boots Riley for making (and getting Amazon to fund!) this shaggy visionary masterpiece of beautiful agitprop with a thoughtful meditation about popular culture! Can I squeeze it onto my fall syllabus?
Another academic year, another writing of an angry email to the college administration about their inept COVID policies & communications. Will this be an annual ritual until I retire?
On this holiday of syllabus-writing, here's my policy statement about AI:
I finally started watching #imavirgo, which had been sitting on my list for a couple of months. Two episodes in, and whoa, it's some serious batshit fun! Too bad it seems to have gotten no attention this summer.

CFP: "Is It Media?"

JCMS (Journal of Cinema and Media Studies)

#HigherEd #MediaStudies

https://github.com/jcmsjournal/editorial/wiki/CFP:-But-Is-It-Media%3F

CFP: But Is It Media?

Contribute to jcmsjournal/editorial development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
I was pretty disappointed in OPPENHEIMER and I'm mystified as to how it's become a big hit (beyond riding on BARBIE's much more impressive coattails). It failed for me as both compelling narrative and a "message film" (as it were); rather it felt like a well-shot & acted mess. Any better explanations for its success?