Dominic Breiter
The Got Talent franchise is a talent show where contestants go on stage and showcase their individual talents for a live audience and three judges. The franchise originated in Britain and is distributed by SYCO, Simon Cowell’s company. Variations have been adapted by other countries, but the franchise is distributed and broadcast in over 20 other countries, including Argentina, Greece, Ukraine, and the Philippines. It was first aired in Britain in 2007.
In regards to question 1, the layout of the show is the same in every country’s reproduction. Stage setup and scenery is similar, the “three judges” are consistent, and even their personalities are recognizably congruent in every version. There is always a nice one, an honest one, and a tough one who all the contestants are especially bent on garnering positive feedback from.
In regards to the second question, some entertaining engines used by the franchise are audience participation with the advent of text messaging. Television viewers are allowed and able to text a vote for their favorite performer directly to the show. Like I referenced before, the “tough judge” could be seen as an engine. He is a prominent obstacle to the performers, and generally someone that viewers “love to hate”.
In regards to question 4, the color spectrum of each show's stage and introductory graphics tend to duplicate the colors on that particular nation's flag. The flag, in fact, is usually part of the show's logo. On the graphics behind the young boy in my Ja Imam Talenat clip, Serbia's adaptation of the franchise, you can see an image of the St. Sava Temple.
In regards to question 7, it looks to me like the show is definitely melting different cultures together but not to the point where they are indistinguishable. Even if you muted your television and disregarded the text, you could still tell whether you were watching Britain’s Got Talent or Das Supertalent. No nation is so lacking in pride that they want to be mistaken for another, so many of the contestants, whether through costume or and accent of tradition in their main act, they are doing their best to be a positive poster-child for their place of root.
