Cover sheet

Why is these sequels bad.
http://www.examiner.com/review/resident-evil-retribution-a-painfully-bad-film
http://voices.yahoo.com/8-great-ways-people-want-see-indie-film-621411.html
http://screenrant.com/gi-joe-2-retaliation-release-date-delay-channing-tatum-niall-175512/
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/346979/features/10-most-cynically-milked-franchises/?page=1#top_banner

Defense for movie remakes
http://ideas.time.com/2011/10/14/in-defense-of-movie-remakes/

Pokemon production dates
http://floatzel.net/pokemon/history.htm

Movie rants
http://screenrant.com/movie-remakes-3d-discussion-kofi-129120/

Captain America 'Retcon'
http://cuwhist.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/retconning-america-captain-america-in-the-wake-of-wwii-and-the-mccarthy-hearings.pdf

Draft

Introduction

Franchise milking was nothing new in the entertainment world especially in the game industry. We can’t really stop money hungry game developers selling its previously successful, minor tweaked version and proven to be a safer route to earn extra cash by its die-hard fans. And they will buy it because of the strength of that game title, no matter how boring it gets, but risk in getting bashed in the community and loses the fan’s trust in their new release.  In Thompson and Bordwell’s (2007) interview they found that it is same for the movie industry, when the first film was successful, they expand the story by making a sequel after one another to make more profit. Repetitions are no contemporary development, as they exist in all eras and also in all narrative forms ranged from novels, dramas, movies, games to comics. The story and the world can always go on depends on the author’s creativity and also having the option to take on variations.

Are all sequels in the arts automatically second-rate? Are repetitions necessarily bad?

In my opinion, it depends on the option of making a sequel was carefully placed and hinted within the first work. Not all repetitions are bad but there must be a limit for continuity of story.  Instead of mingling with new titles, continuing a familiar title seems to be the lower-risk and preferable option, that is understandable. However if the title was milked and milked again for profit, their target audience will start to lose interest in them.

Why entertainment industry repeats

Today, box offices are getting over run by sequels. The aim for making a film or game sequel undoubtedly, are profit, to draw it the same crowd target audience that was attracted on their previous successful work. In fact, what about film and mainstream game industry are not made aimed to make money. The first product is always considered prototype that is unsure of public acceptance, when it worked, more money and investment are poured into the first’s formulae. Kurtzleben (2012) wrote that making sequels saves time and money to look for new set of actors. However, he added that sequence made back in the days of Star Wars and The Godfather compared to today, may have a little different. Sequence back then were meant to tell a good story, while sequels made today were an effort to make money from what sells in its previous worked in the meantime leaving another option for another possible sequel, again.

Thompson and Bordwell (2007) suggested that film industries need to standardize and differentiate their products. Audiences are expecting familiar element and form with a not too big surprise. Sequels can earn audience’s recognition if the repetition is under control and interesting variation applied. Same goes for other media. Sequels are meant to respond to the popular demand of familiar but in the same time different. Jaccobi (2011) added that what audience wanted their product to be is familiarity but in the same time new. They know the story would be similar but different in a way which is what entertains them.

Repetition that works

In defense on controlled repetition works, I must suggest the game ‘Pokemon’. Released in 1996 with more than 20 version and its 5^th generation to be released soon, the storyline and mechanism of Pokemon doesn’t differ much where protagonist just moved into a new town with his/her mother, met a professor and get his/her first Pokemon and battle the professor’s niece, nephew who apparent the final boss of the game.  According to Haywald (2010) this repetitive monster capturing and dueling game originally aimed for younger audience are still played by adults that grew up playing them. The reason its fan still playing them is because that the game is simple and accessible by almost any age group. The game doesn’t change its graphics much which became a nostalgic factor for gamer to relive their childhood spent grinding the game. The game rewards the player sense of contentment for collections of their unique set of pokemons. In each version of Pokemon, players could find both familiar and new pokemon region to be explored, in every new version there will also be a new kind of fun pokemon events and mini games. The game mechanism doesn’t bore the players but keep them coming back for more because they felt comfortable inside this world. One of the main feature of pokemon is that previous captured pokemon can be transferred from previous version to the latter version, apart from starting the game over from scratch, encourages loyalty to the franchise. Different from Call of Duty and The Sims series, where there’s only add on to each sequel and game achievement & progress cannot be transferred to each version.

The Toy Story trilogy was a one of Pixar’s most successful series that well known by to both young and adult generation today. Maltin (2010) there’s usually not third prequel that is better than the previous and the first, except for Toy Story trilogy. The comeback of Toy Story 3 in 2010 took many by shock. Those who watched the Toy Story prequels already reached adulthood, which gives them nostalgic factor to come back to watch the sequel. The distinctive, well-defined characters Woody, Buzzy Lighter, Mr and Mrs. Potato Head are the familiar faces that made our childhood contented. Still, the interesting concept of toys coming alive and great story telling welcomes both old and new audience to title. The story actually grows with the audience where the Andy is now around the age of college students, that actually gives a sense of connectivity to the audience, in fact some of the joke was meant for make parents. Maltin (2010) also explained that Toy Story 3’s story telling were unexpectedly dark and could be intense for younger children, clearly shows that Pixar’s main target audience of the show were pointed to those who grew up on the first two prequel. Not only the graphics, nostalgic factor, story telling is good, the moral values inside were so rich and meaningful to us. The last part where Andy have to give away his best bud, Woody is perhaps the most heartbreaking scene ever in animation. Toy Story trilogy actually gives sense of connectivity and grows in the same time with the audience where a lot of things inside the movie we can relate ourselves with.

What makes a bad sequel?

The controversial first person shooter game, Call of Duty, have a special place in quite a number fan’s heart since its first release in 2003. When the game style switched from historical World war 2 reenacting to a close to real fictional modern day combat with storyline, its 4^th franchise, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007, the title became the center of attraction and the role model and inspiration of many shooting games today. However, the downfall begins where the franchise produces a sequel following year which made the fans turning away from the title. The repetition of game play using the same game engine, same multiplayer feature, with only little add-on for each new versions, disappoints the fan’s even with great storyline, the game company’s desperation for money disgust his fans. Peterson (2012) quoted Michael Patcher that Call of Duty is a ‘failure’ although its latest franchise Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 ,2012 sells over 1 billion in 15 days. He mocked Call of Duty’s marketing strategy is bringing themselves down. He added that Activision and Treyarch, developer of Call of Duty went wrong is they trained gamers to buy a new game to play it every day in a year, then never play it again after next release next year.  The strategy is a failure because it kept its fans from buying and playing other games.

Resident Evil is one of the longest sequels ranged from 2002 to 2012, with total of 5 franchises. The Resident Evil film is one of the series than the fans are begging the studio to stop continue ruining it. The movie relies specially on special effects and action scene to cover up their weak plots, where each chapter follows the similar plot where Alice have to fight against evil Umbrella Corporation and its experimental monsters and zombies. Serafino (2012) wrote that the director had no interest in expanding the horror element, conspiracy on each chapter and decided to cover just combat action and violence. The movie does refer to the original game in term of new monster design, but different from the game the movie just copy the idea and new characters from the game with little explanation how it expanded that way.

It is both blessing and curse to the fans when a familiar title were released. When enough money were made nobody can stop the urge to extend the franchise with more spin off and sequels. Sometimes there are franchise better than original like how Christopher Nolan directed the Dark Knight trilogy but other times, studios just keep milking the franchise. In Thompson and Bordwell’s (2007) interview, Stew Fyfe raised up few good questions to could evaluate the worthiness nature of sequels by these questions: Has the sequel been made because there’s more story to tell? Or is it because the character are great and people want to see then again? Or is it just made because there’s more money to be made?

 Haywald, J. (2010) Why Gamers Still Play Pokemon. Available at: http://www.1up.com/features/gamers-play-pokemon [Accessed at 22 February 2013]

Jaccobi, P. (2011) Why Filmmakers Remake Movies So Often. Available at: http://www.consolidatedfilms.com/why-filmmaker-movie-remakes-common [Accessed at 23 February 2013]

Kurtzleben, D (2012) Why Sequels Have Taken Over the Box Office. Available at: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/06/26/why-sequels-have-taken-over-the-box-office?page=2 [Accessed 25 February 2013]

Maltin, L (2010) Toy Story 3. Available at: http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/film_review_toy_story_3 [Accessed at 25 February 2013]

Peterson, S. (2012) Pachter: Activision to buy Take-Two, Nintendo becoming "completely irrelevant" Available at: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-12-06-pachters-predictions-wii-us-problem-is-nobodys-going-to-support-it [Accessed at 25 February 2013]

Thompson, S & Bordwell, D (2007) Observations on Film Art. Available at: http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2007/05/20/live-with-it-therell-always-be-movie-sequels-good-thing-too/ [Accessed 23 February 2013]

(Proposal draft)

Today’s film industry is going nuts over for sequels and turning away mingling with new titles. The remake of comic book heroes to fit into the big screen has become a phenomenon in the entertainment world. Old movies were remade, comic books were rewritten, old game titles were revived and followed with more downloadable content or expansion packs. The game plan are the product made not only made to sell to new generations but in the same time to the old that have a history with them. The entertainment industry today is manipulating fan’s nostalgia and loyalty to secure their franchise, their line of profit.

Are sequels always inferior to its prequel?  Is repetition necessarily bad?  

In my opinion, it depends on the effort and objective of the sequel. We cannot stop having sequels because they sell if they previous were good but neither can we stop people from making bad sequels for marketing purposes.

Why entertainment industry is using existing titles

Why Spiderman’s storyline is rewritten again, again and again? Also known as Retcon, (  )
Compared to starting a whole new title, entertainment industry found that consumer prefers a pleasant surprise instead of a complete new surprises. What audience wanted their product to be is familiarity but in the same time new. They know the story would be similar but different in a way which is what entertains them. When a familiar title is released, they know that a certain target audience will be attracted.

“Young Justice”,

Sometimes it is not about the stories but the characters they love to see, the audience just enjoys seeing the character in motion. Poor storyline are easy to be forgiven and they would spend time and money to see their favorite hero being developed.

Adventure of Ting Ting.

Of course, when recreating the old, there will always be critic saying the original is better, despite the new graphic CGI, acting and atmosphere design. Original are often in idealized form. Not able to satisfy everyone.

Whats make a bad sequel?

The controversial first person shooter game, Call of Duty, have a special place in quite a number fan’s heart. When the game style switched from historical World war 2 reenaction to a close to real fictional modern day combat with storyline, the game became center of attraction and the role model and inspiration of many shooting games today. However, the downfall begins where the franchise produces a sequel every consequent year which made the fan turning away from the title. The repitition of gameplay disappoint the fan’s even with great storyline.

The Sims series was one of its kind for simulation genre. What ruined the sims 3 is endless loop of repetition of game play and also its expansion packs and add-ons.

G.I Joe may be one of the worst sequel, the main purpose of the

Not all sequel, marketing and repetition is bad.

However there are a few exception of sequels or remakes that got pretty good.
Christopher Nolan was always well known for writing and directing great movies.

Nostalgia marketing weren’t always fell to the bad side. Pixar’s studio utilized the technique efficiently. Toy Story 3 were perfectly made, the story is carefully composed made it appealing to both generation who grew up on watching the first two episodes and those who born latter than don’t.  

Pokemon, popular until this day where its 5^th generation is coming out soon, this repetitive monster capturing and dueling game originally aimed for kids are still played by adults that grew up playing them. The reason its fan still playing them is because that the game is simple and progressive. The game supports and doesn’t change the nostalgic look until latter version, encourages collection which every human does, and communication between players for trade and dueling. One of the main feature of pokemon is that previous captured pokemon can be transferred from previous version to the latter version, apart from starting the game over from zero, encourages loyalty to the franchise. The game mechanism doesn’t bore the players but keep them coming back for more because they felt comfortable inside this world, different from Call of Duty and The Sims series, where theres only add on to each sequel, but game saves, achievement cannot be transferred to each version.

How Malaysian consume nostalgia product. Reflective nostalgia and refractive nostalgia.

How Malaysian react towards repetition towards the entertaining industry and titles. How they consume entertainment products.

Repeatition and origininality in advertising in Malaysia.

Nostalgia were meant to make one feels good, but it is repeatition that makes people get tired of it. When the sense of contuity is lost by repeating changes, the sense of belonging is lost.

There will always be looping.

Goulding's herritage and nostalgia relation

Understanding Nostalgia marketing with brand.
Broderick http:/www.indiangaming/comistoreSep08_Broderick.pdf

Memory and nostalgia
http://www.uwo.ca/theory/Course%20Descriptions/Stephen%20Legg.pdf

Transmedia Worlds with a focus on Nostalgia Marketing - Care Bears
http://www.arnabbasu.com/old_site/Contents/reports/GameDesignEssays/TransmediaWorks.pdf

Innovation and marketing in the video game industry
http://www.gowerpublishing.com/pdf/SamplePages/Innovation_and_Marketing_in_the_Video_Game_Industry_Ch10.pdf

First proposal

(SECOND PROPOSAL)
Nostalgia Marketing Works, But How to Apply it?

Introduction
The definition of nostalgia means yearning of the past, whether it is object, persons, or situations of the past and most of the time in idealized form. Wildschut et al (2008) explains that the term ‘nostalgia’ were originated from Greek words nostos (return) and algos (pain), meaning suffering caused by desire to return to its place of origin as suffered by Swiss mercenaries in server of European monarchs. The concept of nostalgia soon changed during early of 19^th century where it is regarded as a form of melancholia or depression. The definition of nostalgia changed again during latter part of 20^th century where nostalgia was associated with warmth, yearning of the past, compared to the negative feeling that defines nostalgia. Nostalgia is considered positively toned because the narratives included more positive expressions than the negative effect. It is self-relevant because the protagonist was self invariably formed through the narrative and rarely as isolated actor or bystander. The subject of nostalgia is usually based of frequented close relation around the participant. However, nostalgia is not entirely hedonic experience or merely positive recollection of past events, rather than contained descriptions of disappointments and losses, incident of physical injury, separation and loss of lives of friends. Nostalgia creates a redemption sequence where a narrative pattern progresses from negative to a redeeming, positive life scene. Just like how Farrimond (2012) puts it: The past is re-casted into a more pleasing "remembered" version because our memory, thinking and feeling are an active, shaping process. The overall affective signature of nostalgic narrative was considered narrative, a happy ending.

Being happy or unhappy is neither a good predictor for being a nostalgic person. Sociable, emotional and motivated people are more likely to relish some reminiscence. So what triggers nostalgia? Wildschut et al (2008) and Farrimond (2012) finding tally with each other with loneliness was the most common answer. It could be reasonably argued that an increase in nostalgic-products is a symptom of an increasingly fragmented and isolated society. According to Wildschut et al (2008) Under these circumstances, our brain retrieves nostalgic memories to try to regulate psychological distress, nostalgia reside in its capacity to counteract distress and restore psychological equanimity, works as a store of positive effect contributes to a sense of safety and secure attachment.

When the newly defined nostalgia married with marketing, it unleashed a horde of marketing opportunity. Daye(2010) explains that Nostalgia can be exploited and how images and sounds from the past can create favorable attitudes about products. Nostalgia created a strategic role in contemporary marketing that taps into the human mind and consciousness. According to studies of University of Stratchclyde (2010) nostalgia marketing provided the link between consumer’s feeling and the brand by evoking an experience or situation in the past, via cues in music, artifacts or appearance. The current nostalgia marketing may have connection within baby boomer of the 60’s. Although they are the first who ride the first wave of nostalgia but the adaptation are also widely consumed by the younger generations, cross-generational success have little to do with history that they never encounter.

One of the great comebacks from nostalgia marketing, according to Naughton & Vlasic (1998) are the Volkswagen New Beetle. “Less flower, more power”, brings back the round spunky shaped vehicle with the touch of modern features car buyers demand, such as four air bags and power outlets for cell phones. The selling point of the beetle was the memorable bubble shape of the design that put a smile on people’s face. It was no accident but a calculated bet with the help of nostalgic marketing that revived the Volkswagen. Daye (2012) explained that the key this strategy is to use the right music and images, which could be indirectly relate to the products as long the feeling was stirred up because once nostalgia is generated from emotion of good feeling that influences people’s evaluation of the advertised offer. Another frequent example of nostalgia marketing would be Superheroes film that made it to the big screen. Warner (2011) wrote that the birth of superheroes comic during Great depression and WWII helped the Americans to escape tough times. Following with adaptation into different mood made them appealing to different age group thus nostalgic love for the heroes is born. The technology advancement benefited the film industry with detailed computer generated imagery and defies the limitation of old filming techniques, which brings out the best of superheroes attracts both new and old fans.

However, as nostalgia marketing adapted by many more film makers became a tool of greed instead. Shachar (2012) explains that she is disturbed by how war history is consumed as a pleasing visual aesthetic or consumer ‘product’. The phenomenon of turning history into a style, an aesthetic and a ‘brand’ to be sold to consumer was the work of ‘Heritage’ genre of cinema. Postmodernist culture are turning heritage into a recognizable aesthetic beauty. Utilizing our fascination with the past as a aesthetically pleasing style to sell its product with little accuracy and disrespect of history and culture of the source. She urges that we should observe our engagement with nostalgia that is about ethics rather than a simple style.  We will always be reminiscing the past but we should balance ourselves between understanding of the history and the love of its aesthetics.

University of Stratchclyde (2010) further elaborated that the purpose of nostalgia in marketing have some deep societal need for authenticity where reaching back to the days where things are slower, simpler and more peaceful. New generation and the old are clinging to these past for a longing to have control in our lives, to reach out for the community to search for comfort and familiarity. This reason of existence of nostalgia only successful if they are valued, and mean something to the consumer and relevant to their life style need and requirements Nostalgia marketing not just about reliving a particular era and buying brands that evoke a strong personal memory from the past, but reinterpreting it as relevant and valued in today’s world.

Enquiry outcomes

Although one who never experienced a past event in his lifetime can relive that moment through nostalgia but if it doesn’t give his or her life any meaning it will not have any lasting effect. Those who are born in the east may have different valuation towards western’s nostalgia market. What kind of past, object, event does Malaysian clings to? What kind of nostalgic subject does we have in common or different towards our friend in the west? Does age group, geographical location and social class affect the market of nostalgia? How nostalgia marketing, in which direction can be used effectively on the locals yet doesn’t go against the customs of many ethnic group in Malaysia. How Malaysian perceived existing nostalgia marketing just like how Shachar (2012) mentioned, balancing between understanding of history and consuming it as aesthetically pleasing visual.

Feasibility proposed enquiry
Research is going to be carried out of the market of subject of nostalgia through observation on recent events, in the local supermarket, decoration of hypermarket, advertising strategies and also by a survey of valuation of certain finding by different age group and social class. The research aims to collect data of effective use of nostalgia onto local advertising and marketing, also the perception of Malaysian towards nostalgia.

Relevance of enquiry to personal practice
How things happens around us affect the appearance or direction of approach of the products around us. Nostalgia marketing said to be an effective marketing tool but only when it fits the requirements and relevance of the consumer. Both past and present event, technology are to be merged together to achieve distinctiveness against competitors.

Bibliography
Electronic Information:

Daye, D. (2010) The Power of Nostalgia in Advertising. Available at http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2010/01/the-power-of-nostalgia-in-advertising.html#.UR3D6OTDCBU [Accessed at 17 February 2013]

Farrimond, S. (2012) Nostalgia: Why we think things were better in the past. Available at http://realdoctorstu.com/2012/07/23/nostalgia-why-we-think-things-were-better-in-the-past/ [Accessed 16 February 2013]

Naughton, K. & Vlasic, B. (1998) The Nostalgia Boom. Available at http://www.businessweek.com/1998/12/b3570001.html
[Accessed at 2 February 2013]

Shachar, H (2012) The Ethics of Nostalgia. Available at http://www.metamodernism.com/2012/11/22/the-ethics-of-nostalgia/
[Accessed at 16 February 2013]

University of Stratchclyde (2010) The Power of Nostalgia: Zeitgeist or Marketing Hype? Available at http://www.strath.ac.uk/media/faculties/business/pioneer/issuepdfs/01-08_pioneer.pdf 
[Accessed at 16 February 2013]

Warner, A (2011) Up, Up and Onto the Silver Screen. Available at http://cultureshock.scripts.mit.edu/fa2011/up-up-and-onto-the-silver-screen.php [Accessed at 18 February 2013]

Wildschut, T. Sedikides, C. Routledge, C (2008) Nostalgia –From cowbells to the meaning of life. Available at http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm/volumeID_21-editionID_155-ArticleID_1292-getfile_getPDF/thepsychologist/0108wild.pdf
[Accessed at 17 February 2013]

Why we need to be not completely honest on facebook.
http://www.grahamjones.co.uk/2012/blog/internet-psychology/dont-be-too-honest-on-facebook.html