Exklusive Interview John-Paul Trutnau - English

[Ell.a]

John-Paul was born in Germany, and educated in Germany, England and Canada. He holds a degree in Art History, in Radio & TV Arts as well as a degree and post-graduate degree in American Culture & Communications. His interests range from practical filmmaking to film theory, media studies and cultural studies. Look out for his forthcoming book, Fritz Lang's Metropolis and its Influence on Modern American Science Fiction Film.

 

1. Dr. Trutnau, you wrote the first book ever about Miami Vice. What was the reason to choose this show of all things for your scientific media analysis?

 

Dear Ell.a. I wish to thank you for contacting me and I am delighted and honored to share some thoughts and insights with you. You are correct in saying that my book is the first of a kind when it comes to analyzing the entire series of Miami Vice. I was initially taken aback by the way critics and many academics had reduced the series to mere postmodern flashiness and colourful surface accompanied by music. Miami Vice is quite a complex construct and operates with subtlety in many respects which have to be distinguished before they can be interpreted properly. That was one of the key tasks I faced. The series is anything BUT straightforward and there are a variety of influences and trends to be found within it. For many viewers, however, it was just another cop show, which, yes, in a way it was, as I also discuss in my book.

 

2. Would you tell us how your writing proceeded? Your analysis is very comprehensive and deep - you must have watched each episode multiple times!

 

Tough question. Since Media Studies, and especially TV Studies is relatively young, one often has to devise a blend of methods or critical approach. Firstly I employed an analysis sheet, which can be found in Appendix A of my book. This was utilized to capture an classify the audio-visual elements, as well as the content, themes and storylines in MV. Since I was fulfilling the requirements for a German dissertation (which is different than a PhD in the UK or USA) I had quite a job before me. The repeated viewing of an episode (often 8 times and more) was especially daunting, and it was not always a walk in the park.

 

3. Did the work on "One Man Show" change your perspective of the show? Are you still able to watch an episode without thinking in terms of your work?

 

For sure. Even while I was analyzing, investigating and interpreting, my viewpoints on the series oftentimes changed. Maybe 20 years from now I will view some aspects differently, but maybe not. I am not a friend of historical revisionism, however, as history has taught us, it often cannot be avoided. This is the magical catch-22 debate about the “truth†of something. Having worked and researched in the media business for the last 10 years I can tell you that a lot of what people see and hear on TV, the radio, the internet, is not exactly what it seems. The viewer is often unaware of what is actually happening and that what she or he is seeing is intentionally manipulated, forged and changed to fit the demands of the message sender. Take for example the September 11, 2001 Situation, we were all told by the media what happened, without having proper answers to many (still) open questions. It’s like: who really cares? However, if you applied such careless principles to the laws of nature and physics, we would be in an awkward position, that’s for sure. So when the Pope in 2008 visits the “Ground Zero†site, that was that, I guess. Blessings received, all is in order, no questions asked, and that is that. Or maybe not?

 

4. Was there any light bulb moment for you while working on the book? Which knowledge was the most impressive one for you?

 

That’s a good question. Yes there were some “eureka†moments, especially when I realized how vulnerable our heroes in MV actually are. Oftentimes they “really get it†and are brutalized and thus victimized. You cannot kill them of course, but there are moments where it gets real tight for them. I dedicated a subchapter dealing with the “ups and downs†of the series to the topic of victimization, which I believe is especially significant in the series. The complexity of characters, especially Tubbs and Castillo, is remarkable and it is dealt with in my book.

 

5. Many fans wondered why your book isn't illustrated. Surely there's a reason for this?

 

Licensing the content (image stills, fotos, etc.) is often very costly and I decided that $500 for an image still was a bit too pricey. Fortunately my book can still be used as a guide in that all references to sequences are left annotated.

 

6. For what reason/s the First Draft Version of the book (about 600 pages) wasn't published by Trafford.com but the Light Version only (about 250 pages)?

 

The on-demand publishing costs mandated it. As an independent author I am charged per page and print subsidies are, as in this case, often high. It is important to mention that when my book sells on amazon at $26 per unit, I receive royalties of $0.75 per copy sold. That inspired me to create a global platform for independent filmmakers, musicians, bands and authors to sell their content directly to a consumer worldwide. Filmbay.com is a growing Internet Platform which allows independent film directors, producers, writers, artists, musicians and bands to sell their CDs, DVDs and digital downloads WITHOUT A MAJOR LABEL, to consumers worldwide, while keeping all rights to your content and maximum profits. Period.

 

7. On your independent Community www.filmbay.com you gather writers, directors and actors. Did you ever met one of the actors of the show? Or - different question - who would you like to meet?

 

Filmbay is the world's first global independent film community and webshop that encompasses the entire filmmaking process, from inception to final worldwide sale. Our English Press Release can be found here ---> click!I have not meet any of the principals of MV, but would love to meet PM Thomas, who is not only an interesting actor, but also an interesting person – not at all the typical celebrity type, but a gifted and inspiring person. Maybe we will see more of him in a feature film one day?

 

8. Would you consider yourself a fan of the show? If so, where would you rank yourself on a scale from 1 ("I-watch-an-episode-from-time-to-time"-Fan) to 10 ("I-drive-a-ferrari-and-wear-pastell-suits"-Fan)?

 

Of course I am a fan. Maybe not so hardcore that I would run around the street wearing such 1980s Suits, but I do enjoy and episode of MV from time to time (time permitting).

 

9. What projects are you working on now?

 

I am working on several books right now, in the scarce time I have since Filmbay.com is keeping me busy. One is about Star Trek TOS from a sixties perspective and is an offspring of my other book publication:Listed at Berkeley ---> click!

 

Trutnau, John-Paul.Fritz Lang's Metropolis and its influence on the American science fiction film:Blade Runner, Terminator I + II Essen : Blaue Eule, © 2005 MAIN: PN1997.M436 T78 2005

 

And can be purchased at the publisher Die Blaue Eule ---> click! Does it look like I am trying to generate sales, lol?

 

10. What are your further plans for the future?

 

In the immediate future my task is the success of Filmbay.comThereafter I would like to take up teaching and research full-time at a college or university, since I enjoy being with other people and in a fruitful academic environment. I do enjoy communicating with others as well, and thus my door is always open to new ideas, collaboration and other projects.

 

Dr. Trutnau, thank you very much for your answers and the time you shared with us!

 

© June 6th, 2008 - John-Paul TrutnauAll rights reserved. Reprint and duplication - alltogether or in extracts - as well as assimilation into other media and commercial use is only permitted with the author's written agreement.