Affect is fundamental, non-conscious, asubjective or presubjective, assignifying, unqualified, and intense, says Steven Shaviro (Denson & Leyda, 2016). Recent cinema and video works portray an ambient, free-floating mentality that pervades the modern culture, even though it has no clear subject. Symptomatic and productive, they’re expressive. Symptomatic works transduce, condense, and rearticulate complex social processes as “affect blocs.” They are also productive because they actively engage in and shape social processes. Media works create effect and profit from it. Affects then create subjectivity and help value capital by creating emotional responses from the audience (Denson & Leyda, 2016).

Reality shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race rely heavily on post-cinematic affect.  The US-based show features drag queens competing for the superstar title and cash prize. Talent is crucial, but the emotional impact on the audience is almost as important. The production emphasizes each participant’s storyline to create desired reactions. Contestants reveal emotional, often painful personal stories during the show. It aims to boost show interest and profitability. On the production level, the show is filmed for several hours a day, while participants are under close monitoring in case, they say something later exploited. Often, they must repeat or reshoot scenes to get the greatest results. Also, editing is a significant component of affect, as certain decisions affect how contestants are later regarded by the public (such as by establishing a “villain” of the season). It is done by a specific usage of sound effects or cutting the material to achieve emotional engagement from the audience.

Therefore, what is often considered a reality-show TV has very little to do with reality. Instead, it exploits personal experiences and uses the audience’s emotional sensitivity to bring profit. Although it is probably inevitable in the current political environment, it is crucial to remember that our personal responses to media are precisely tailored behind the scenes.

Reference:

Shane Denson & Julia Leyda (eds), Post-Cinema: Theorizing 21st-Century Film
(Falmer: REFRAME Books, 2016).

33527854 Artur Wesolowski