Monday, November 5, 2007

Initial Survey Responses - UPDATED

I sent out some surveys, through various connections (friend's sisters friends, etc). The groups of people include:
• 15-year-olds who go to public school in Westchester, NY
• 9-year-olds from a girl scout troup in Minnetonka, MN
• college students at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA

Some of these surveys I sent out a week ago, some several days ago, and some I have yet to send out. I have received five back so far. The questions are fairly general; I just wanted to get a sense of why people from different age groups like (or don't like) High School Musical and Hannah Montana, two Disney Channel productions that have arguably made a big impact on mainstream culture. The responses are fairly brief, but some of them are quite telling.

The first two questions are a rating of different musical artists/bands related to the Disney Channel. I will put this information up when I get more responses and can do some averages.

3. Do you like High School Musical? If not, why not?

Abby 15: Yes, I like High School Musical

Berit 9: I like it. I like all of the songs and the dancing. They have good choreography.

Carly 15: Yes, I like high school musical.

Julia 15: Yes, I love the corniness, the songs, and how there is barely any conflict!

Katie 10: Yes

Kendra 20: Yes, I thought it was a cute, fun movie and had catchy songs with some nice dancing.

Marcy 20: YES

Natalie 9: Yes

Nicole 20: LOVE IT!

4. What do you like most about High School Musical? What do you like least? Why?

Abby 15: I like that it is easy to follow and a fun watch, but it can get annoying after a while.

Berit 9: I like the singing the best. I like the music. I saw the play and I liked it a little bit less - so I like the actors and actresses in the movie better. Vanessa Hudgens is a really good Gabriella.

Carly 15: I like the idea of a Disney channel musical. I like the songs and the dances. I also like that it's not just a regular kiddie movie; it actually has a message.

Julia 15: I like the songs and the dancing, mostly because they make you feel happy… and you can sing along. It makes you feel like everything is perfect, there is nothing I dislike about it.

Katie 10: It was fun to watch!

Marcy 20: I like that High School Musical is hilarious and that the songs are catchy. It's so bad it's good. How could any one not love a movie in which Zac Efron prances through a dessert and sings to his reflection? I dislike the parts were they are not singing or dancing. Most of the kids can't really act and the story is pretty stupid, so it's kind of tedious to watch Vannesa Hudgens try to express how singing with Zac Efron is like kindergarten. I also hate it when she sings her emotional ballads.

Natalie 9: All the songs and all the people and all the dancing. The love songs are icky.

Nicole 20: The movie is hilarious because the writing and the acting are so terrible. I also actually like most of the songs (more so in the first movie than in the second).

5. Who is your favorite character? Why?

Abby 15: My favorite character is Ryan because he has the most complex character and has the best voice out of all of them.

Berit 9: Gabriella because she is so nice in the movie

Carly 15: Troy is my favorite character because 1) he's pretty cute and 2) he stands up to his friends and follows his dreams.

Julia 15: Ryan, he's funniest.

Katie 10: Gabriella, she makes everything simple

Kendra 20: Maybe the kid who secretly loves to bake because he talks about crème brulee and it's my favorite. Otherwise, probably Zac Effron because it's really adorable how much he likes Vanessa in the film, or Corbin Bleu because he is a really good dancer.

Marcy 20: My favorite character is Ryan. He is funny and has an amazing singing voice.

Natalie 9: Vanessa Hudgens - cause she is cool.

Nicole 20: Troy, because he plays basketball and because he is so in love with Gabriella, but mostly because he is played by Zac Efron.

6. What is your favorite song? Why?

Abby 15: My favorite song is Breaking Free because it is the big turning point and is very powerful. Troy and Gabrielle sound good together on this song.

Berit 9: I like We're Breaking Free…I think it is really pretty

Carly 15: “Stick to the Status Quo” is my favorite song because it has good lyrics and a good beat. It also has to do with standing up to your friends, being your own person, and following your dreams.

Julia 15: Breaking free, it is a great song to sing along to and makes you feel very happy because everything in Troy and Gabriella's life worked out perfectly.

Katie 10: Betting on the Right Time….it is good

Kendra 20: I have only seen the movie once and can't right now remember any songs except “Get your head in the game” - which I don't think is my favorite.

Marcy 20: My favorite song is the Ryan and Sharpay version of “What I've Been Looking For”. It is the catchiest, happiest song ever.

Natalie 9: All of them, no particular favorite.

Nicole 20: “You are the Music in Me” is my favorite overall, “Breaking Free” is my favorite from the first movie.

7. How did you hear about HSM? When did you first see it? What was your first reaction to it?

Abby 15: I heard about it from watching Disney Channel. I saw it the first day it came out, and it was fun to watch but very predictable.

Berit 9: My friend Ana. On my 8th birthday. I liked it.

Carly 15: I heard about HSM through friends and from watching Disney channel. At first I thought it was ok. I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It got better as i watched it a second and third time.

Julia 15: I heard about it on Disney channel. I saw it a few days after it came out. I loved it!

Katie 10: TV commercials. I thought it was awesome

Kendra 20: My friends; earlier this year, probably about early October; I liked it a lot

Marcy 20: I first heard about High School Musical while I was enjoying a turkey burger with my family and watching the Disney Channel. A preview for it came on, and I noticed that it was starring Zac Efron. This captured my attention because a certain raven haired friend of mine was very attracted to Zac Effron (even though he played at 12 year old on tv ). I saw it the night it premiered on Disney Channel. I thought it looked stupid and funny, so I watched it thinking that I would make fun of it for like ten minutes and then turn it off. It was stupid and I did make fun of it, but the songs were really catchy and fun so I watched the whole thing and loved it.

Natalie 9: On tv, saw commercials. Don't remember. I liked it so much.

Nicole 20: My younger sister saw it when it first came out and told me how amazing it was. We watched it together the next time it was on and I immediately fell in love.

8. Do you own the soundtrack? The DVD?

Abby 15: I own the soundtrack, but not the DVD.

Berit 9: The DVD.

Carly 15: I have some songs from the soundtrack, but not the whole thing. I don't have the DVD.

Julia 15: I own both.

Katie 10: Yes, both

Kendra 20: No, neither

Marcy 20: I illegally downloaded a few songs off of the soundtrack. I do not own the DVD.

Natalie 9: No.

Nicole 20: I have two songs from the first movie but I would love to have the complete sound track. I do not have the DVD.

9. Did you see HSM2? How do you think it compares?

Abby 15: I saw it- and I thought the plot of HSM 1 was better and it was more polished, but the music of HSM2 was more advanced.

Berit 9: YES, it has the same characters so I liked that. I liked the music in it too

Carly 15: I did see HSM2 and I loved it. There wasn't as much of the “going for your dreams” thing, but there were good songs and fun dances.

Julia 15: Yes I saw it. I like the songs better but I don't like how the storyline was cornier, (If that's even possible!)

Katie 10: Yes. It is a little better than the first.

Kendra 20: Yes, it's a lot worse.

Marcy 20: Yes. I think that on the whole it was not as good. It was funnier in a lot of ways. Ryan was genuinely and intentionally funnie, and the Zac Efron prancing through the desert and singing to his reflection was hilarious and the best scene out of both of the movies, but the songs were just very hip hoppy and sounded like every part of them had been manipulated with technology ( I know don't the correct musical term to describe them…over produced maybe?). I prefer the show-tuneiness of the first movie's music.

Natalie 9: No.

Nicole 20: On the whole, I didn't think it was as good and for the most part had inferior music (with the notable exceptions of “Everyday,” “Music in Me,” and the disaster/masterpiece that is “Bet On It”). I did love, however, how completely adorable Troy and Gabriella are in HSM2.


HANNAH MONTANA

10. Do you like Hannah Montana? If not, why not?

Abby 15: Yes, I like Hannah Montana.

Berit 9: I like her - she is a good singer

Carly 15: Hannah Montana is ok, not my favorite though.

Julia 15: Yeah I like her, (kind of)

Katie 10: Yes

Kendra 20: Never seen it.

Marcy 20: Not really. I only like that Emily Osment is on it because she goes to my high school. Miley Cyrus bothers me. So does her dad.

Natalie 9: Yes

Nicole 20: No, the TV show is obnoxious and stupid and I can't stand the sound of her voice.

11. What do you like most about Hannah Montana? What do you like least?

Abby 15: I like her show, and some of her music. Though I like her music more when she is Miley Cyrus. The thing I least like is how some songs are annoying and sound fake or boring.

Berit 9: I like the singing the best. There isn't anything I don't like --- but I don't like her shows - I like her singing.

Carly 15: Hannah Montana can be funny at times. But Miley Cyrus can be extremely annoying. I hate her voice (not singing, talking) and her laugh. I HATE it when she says “sweet nibblets.”

Julia 15: I like her songs, but not the show as much, it is the most unrealistic show in Disney channel.

Katie 10: I like her songs, they have the “beat”.

Natalie 9: All the songs, her clothes, and everything. I like everything - no “least”.

12. What is your favorite song? Why?

Abby 15: My favorite Hannah Montana song is Nobody's Perfect because the lyrics are fun and its very catchy. My favorite Miley Cyrus song is See You Again because it has a country blues tone to it and has fun lyrics.

Berit 9: I like a lot of them. Nobody's perfect is my favorite because nobody is perfect

Carly 15: I like “Nobody's Perfect” because it's true, and it is somewhat funny.

Julia 15: Best of both worlds- It is the only one I really know

Katie 10: Nobody is Perfect. It is fun to sing along.

Natalie 9: “If we were a movie”. Because its cool.

13. When did you first see Hannah Montana? What was your first reaction to it?

Abby 15: I first saw Hannah Montana when it came out on Disney Channel. My reaction was that it was a good show and thought it would get interesting and even better.

Berit 9: I heard the CD first at my friend Katie's. I liked her music.

Carly 15: I first saw it when it debuted. I actually thought the story was kinda cute.

Julia 15: When it first aired. I T-VOed the first episode and watched it a million times. Now I don't like it as much, the story is not as good.

Katie 10: On TV I thought it was cool

Marcy: I don't remember when I first saw Hannah Montana. My first reaction was excitement that Haley's sister was on TV.

Natalie 9: On tv, don't remember when. First reaction was “this is so cool”.

Nicole 20: A while ago and I thought it was another in the new line of terrible Disney channel shows

14. Do you own either of her albums?

Abby 15: No I don't own either album.

Berit 9: NO

Carly 15: No, but I have one song on my ipod.

Julia 15: No

Katie 10: Yes

Marcy 20: No.

Natalie 9: No.

Nicole 20: No.

15. Do you think Emily Osment (“Lily Truscott”) has popstar potential? If you haven't seen it yet, go on Youtube and watch her video “I Don't Think About It.”

Abby 15: I don't think Emily Osment has very much popstar potential. She has a good voice and I think she is a good actress, but this song isn't as good as some of Miley's music and sounds a lot like Hannah Montana.

Berit 9: She is a good singer. She might become a popstar -but she kinda already is..

Carly 15: I don't think Emily Osment has popstar potential. I don't like her singing voice at all. I find it hard to believe that it's even her singing.

Julia 15: No, I don't think she has potential. Her voice is bad.

Katie 10: Yes

Kendra 20: If you haven't seen it yet, go on Youtube and watch her video “I Don't Think About It.” Maybe, but she would have a ways to go.

Marcy 20: No. That video was horrible. So was the song. She is related to Haley Joel Osment, though, so maybe after “Home of the Giants” comes out she'll become even more famous.

Natalie 9: No - because she's just sort of different. And I don't think she can be like Miley Cyrus with her million katrillion songs, and Emily only has one.

Nicole 20: No.

2 comments:

Samantha Cornwell said...

Its interesting to hear how vast some of the opinions are about different performers. Its also interesting how much respondents unanimously disliked Emily Osment's music. Maybe something to interrogate for later?

Also, are you going to deal with the Vanessa Hudgens naked pictures scandal at all? It might tread on awkward territory, but it could touch on some interesting issues for the whole disney star system.

Good job!
-samantha

PS
have you ever seen the Zanessa issue of Pop Star magazine? It has some great images and articles.

Caitlin said...

Samantha,
Thanks for your comment. I think you've brought up several important questions by asking if I am going to discuss the Vanessa Hudgens naked scandal. Obviously, that's been impossible to ignore and I've been trying to decide whether I'll include it for a while now. First of all: should I bring in the personal lives of the actors or just focus on their characters or their music? I think I definitely want to relate their personal lives at least a little bit, because that's where the contrast lies. Often, the public expects them to be as pure and innocent as the characters they play, and obviously, they can't be. That's why I find the contrast between their solo acts and HSM important as well, because its this constant balancing act. Ashley Tisdale told the press a couple years ago that she was clean and she didn't like to party, but then she included explicitly raunchy lyrics. And Vanessa's videos are much more "grown-up" than she was in HSM. But Corbin, so far, has stuck to the Disney formula. And, then, the question arises: how does Disney deal with this?

It's also interesting in relation to Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, who have both decided to wear purity rings signifying that they will not have sex until they are married.