Hello class. I thought this would be an interesting idea. Below are two clips I showed you in class. One is the Iranian piece titled "Final Point," and the other is the Kuma war "Assault on Iran" video. Compare and contrast the videos, commenting on whatever you find interesting or important to discuss. I remain hyped for your comments.
-Amir
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One significant difference I noticed between the two propaganda are that one is very explicit about how to deal with the other country while one is implicit. The kumawar video suggests that America should take direct military action, which is the main part of their game. The message implied in the Iranian one is not as direct. As discussed in class, it suggests defeating it by conducting asymmetric warfare through proxies, since it is obvious that Iran doesn't count on plants to stop tanks. I guess the latter is smart in a way that it could not be used against Iran to confirm the international community's suspicions towards it with this video. The Kumawar video seems bent on unilateral military action and demonstrates signs of arrogance by suggesting that it would be that easy to stop Iran's nuclear program.
I think the IranNegah clip is a much stronger piece of work - it has more symbolism and carries its message more efficiently in my opinion. I think that the Kumawar video, although it makes a "fun" parallell between video games and war, doesn't make you think the way the other video does.
Another intersting note: both the Iranian and the American videos show the US as the aggressor. Does that say anything about the US, and its recent history?
The Iranian animation is was intentionally made to foster and promote a political message. Since it was broadcast on tv, does not directly show much violence, and is animated it is safe to assume that . video is targeting children. This video is educational (in Iran). In contrast, the kumawar commercial and the game it advertises are the result of a set of political views. It is targeting people who play first person shooters. Actually, it is likely targeting people who play kuma's other war games, most of whom will be conservative. Very few if any people would alter their political views after playing the game.
I totally agree, ber2009 - which makes me tend to see the Iranian video as more clear-cut propaganda (media designed to propagate a viewpoint). The conflict with the US and Israel is framed in terms as universal as possible (minimal religious imagery, for example, though of course extremely reliant on the viewer's basic opinion of American policy).
The Kuma War game, on the other hand, seems perfectly content with (or perhaps just oblivious to) the echo chamber in which it is confined, only listening to the opinions of the already-converted.
I find it quite interesting that the Iranian propaganda film place such an emphasis on the detail of its symbolism. While the obvious symbol is that of the plant growing and defeating the American tanks and, by association, the American general dividing up the middle east there are many subtler symbols which might entice a viewer to side with the Iranian government against America. For example, when the video opens the muzzle of the gun placed on the general's desk points directly at the viewer immediately causing one to feel personally threatened. In addition, the American tanks are breaking into people's homes and destroying them paralleling the message that America has no business in the middle east, especially in Iran. The American soldiers also march through the rubble and step on people's personal belongings suggesting that they are in human or don't care about the Iranian people. I'm not positive, but I think the when they pan back to the general directly after this shot the general's boot has some mud on the bottom putting him at the scene of the soldier degrading the Iranian people. Once this feeling of personal attack has been established, upon first viewing this feeling is, ideally, subconscious, the plant metaphor is presented. This suggests that there is a seed already within the Iranian people which, given the right nourishment, can overcome the Americans. In comparison to the KUMAWar video, it is striking how blunt and unoriginal American advertisement (or propaganda, if you will) is.
I think that the IranNegah clip is a much more serious piece of propaganda. It has a very distinct message and very strong in putting it forward. The kumawar video on the other hand seems to take the subject pretty trivially... (although the opening sequence of text is obviously specific) By the end of the video I think that many average Americans wouldn't remember if the video game took place in Iran, Iraq, or any other country in the Middle East. It seems to focus on the attraction to an "action-packed" video game in a military situation where the identity of the enemy is unimportant.
Although saying this is in turn 'less serious' may not be appropriate, because what is serious is exactly this apathetic feeling that many in the US have toward Middle Eastern culture and politics.
I think that the first clip by IranNegah was a stronger piece in terms of propoganda compared to that of a commercial for a video game. I feel that although the kuma war piece did hold a distinct political message, it was not originally designed to effect mass opinions on either country. If I were to watch it outside of this class I do not think I would think much more of it other than the fact it is another war video game. The other piece had so much more depth. I found myself dessecting each and every part, trying to figure out the messeage(s) it was trying to send out. I noticed the way in which the general was designed- a giant fellow with an equally giant nose, plotting the new boundaries of the middle east. Also, it was hard to miss the scenes in which airplanes were bombing the daylights out of homes. I found myself thinking about the symbolism the growing plant had, because I felt it could be seen in different ways. Nonetheless, I thought it was a very effective prpoganda ad for those watching it
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