Tuesday, 14 May 2019

TV: Deutschland 83 - Close-textual analysis

Scene 1 - Garden/BBQ scenes:

Technical codes:

  • Use of parallel and diegetic music and sound
  • Formal Costume
  • West seems more luxurious
  • 80s fashion
  • Nostalgia
  • Younger generations dressed more casual
  • Pop music played


Representations:

  • Similarities between East and West
  • Close family bonds
  • East values family relationships
  • Martin being shown as poor but happy
  • Nescafe coffee seen differently between the East and the West
  • House structures are very different
  • Formal wear and atmosphere in the West BBQ scene
  • Lack of male hierarchical dominance in east 
  • Gender stereotypes or accurate gender representations for the time



Scene 2- Supermarket scene:

Technical codes:

  • Jeans, red puma top and trainers (80s feel)
  • Branded clothes
  • Colourful
  • Colour coordinated shelves
  • Implies life in the west is brighter & more colourful
  • Supermarkets don't typically look like this
  • Pop art feel leads to a post modern link
  • Maybe too much to make look believable

Audio codes:

  • Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics playing in supermarket
  • Fast paced, high tension music when Martin tries to escape
  • Sweet Dreams reflect Martins thoughts
  • English song, West is more Americanised


Representations:

  • Bonn vs East side
  • 'True luxury of the West is that no one pays attention to you'
  • 'What does Annette want?' which implies women just want husband, apartment and car
  • Martin vs authority 
  • Police shown eating ice cream (very American)


Audience pleasures:

  • Nostalgia (music)
  • Visually pleasing due to the number of colours
  • Diversion ( running away scene)
  • Nostalgia (Shop fronts)



Scene 3- Training montage:


Technical codes:

  • The way the montage is editted, not all is included
  • Martin is now in danger of gettig caught
  • Fast paced editing to build tension and pace
  • Use of split screen to make audiences have to concentrate in more than one place which makes it seem more tense
  • Jumpcuts throughout 
  • Wipes are used to trasition
  • Post modern style of editing
  • Lots of camera shots through things which gives it a spy feeling

Audio codes:

  • Narration
  • 80s song (sweet dreams)
  • Non Diagetic and parallel
  • Music sets the scenes pace 
  • Sound effects used


Audience pleasures:

  • Nostalgia (the song)
  • Recognising areas or evets
  • James Bond link
  • Diversion the quick pace edits ad cuts


Intertextuality:

  • James Bond
  • Coming of age makeover scenes
  • Similar to Rocky training montage



Scene 4- Briefcase scene:

Technical codes:

  • Close up shots
  • Signatures on files (Reagan's)
  • US stamp close up
  • Opening briefcase shot
  • Jump cuts throughout
  • Fast and stylistic editig

Audio codes:

  • Non diegetic music
  • Creates tension
  • Breathing exaggerated 
  • Sound effects used


Audience pleasures:

  • Diversion (fast pace editig makes audiences feel on the edge)
  • Audiences don't wathim to get hurt
  • Personal relationship (want Martin to take the pictures and make it out alive

Tuesday, 7 May 2019

TV: Exam question

"Realism is a vital component of television drama". To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]

Deutschland 83 contains many aspects of realism within the drama. This is done to make the story line more believable. For Deutschland 83, the drama is based of a real event (the cold war) which means that certain aspects of it to certain audiences can be related to. Realism for Deutschland 83 is something that is important in how successful they end up becoming. This is because there are still audience members at the time it was produced that remember the cold war from being a child. This to them would be the dramas USP. Other audiences such as people who have an interest in German past history would appreciate the idea of accurate representations of the events. There are definitely scenes within the drama that have been identified as very accurate. For example, the scene when Martin had to take pictures of the confidential documents, some people say that the documents were either the real documents used back then or an exact copy of them.

In Capital, it also shows many aspects of realism within the drama. One example of this would be the scene when Roger is on his way to work and on the underground. The shot from underneath another passengers armpit onto Rogers face in the middle of a packed morning underground train is very accurate and is a very familiar sight to office workers who take the same route as Roger. As a result of the realistic side to Capital, it may have been a possible USP to the drama which attract audiences to choose to watch it. Audience members may find a sense of escapism while watching Capital since the realism is done so well that some audiences may find it hard to tell reality from drama.

While Deutschland 83 is retelling the story of the Cold war, Capital shows some of the day to day issues within todays society which means it becomes more relevant to the audience members of this current generations within this society. By recreating an accurate representation of the events of the cold war, it could attract audiences that are interested in the Cold war but not so much to a wider audience. On the other hand, everyone who lives and works in London understands the morning struggle and the issues around the society at this current time therefore allowing Capital to target not just a small group of people but a mass audience.

Friday, 3 May 2019

TV index: Capital and Deutschland

Introduction to TV Drama

Capital: Case study

Capital: Marxism and Hegemony

Capital: Applying Marxism

Deutschland 83: case study

Deutschland 83: Close-textual analysis notes

Industries: The rise of foreign-Language TV dramas

Industries: The impact of new/ digital media on television

TV: 750-word exam question

The impact of new/digital media on TV

1.
The place that creates and distributes media forms such as films or dramas.

2.
Cultural production has changed over time.

3.

  • More producers are aiming their products at niche audiences
  • Globalisation allowed other countries to get their products around the world which decreased the dominance of American film power.
  • More and more companies are evolving into new industries.
4.
Integration of evolving and growing technology.

5.
The digital age is growing and more online streaming platforms are available for people to watch dramas and films on. This means more people are starting to watch their dramas and films on their phones, tablets, laptops etc instead of watching it on television channel by channel.

6.
Netflix will spend around $8 billion.
Amazon will spend around $4.5 billion.
Apple will spend around $1 billion.

7.
Netflix is available in 190 countries and Amazon is available in 200 countries.

8.
The 'demogorgan' from the TV drama Stranger things had different names in different countries due to what they would call the demon prince from the dungeons.

9.
I believe that as time goes on, more people would be watching dramas and films online so big companies may also choose to go into that industry in order to grow their business. Online streaming is definitely growing and will continue to grow which would allow the online streaming market to get filled within the next few years.

10.
TV dramas need to consider that people can watch the drama anywhere and anytime. Adding cliff hangers onto the end of the episode may not have as big of an effect to online streaming services because they are able to watch it straight away whereas for traditional TV, people would have to wait a week for the new episode.

TV: The rise of foreign-language television

1.
Subtitles used to be an element that could make you be seen as 'pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd'. As times move on, audiences have started to seek subtitles and are wanting to watch more foreign-language dramas.


2.
Walter suggests that the key appeal is his professional way of working where he would spend thousands and thousands of hours just watching foreign dramas. This leads to audiences feeling like he knows that he's doing.


3.
In the multi-screen age, we as audiences tend to get distracted by our phones with social media like Instagram or Snapchat but with subtitles, it forces us to focus on the drama and not get distracted by other things.


4.
The article also suggests that we as an audience 'develop a love for the distant world' which implies that we are taken out of reality and into the world of the drama. 'If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that' which could lead to the audience pleasure of diversion.


5.
Moffat included intertextual references in his shows like ones from Sherlock where he used a clue that could only be understood by Chinese audiences.


Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on:

1.
The show was released in the US before Germany.

2.
German figures started at 3.19 mil which then dropped to 1.63 mil at the last episode. Chanel 4's figures were at 2.13 mil at peak.

3.
Sundance TV and Freemantle Media announced the second season of the show which would be called Deutschland 86 in October.

4.
One of the aspects that probably helped was the large number of audiences that the show had.

5.
Walter uses social media platforms like twitter in order to interract with audience members all over the world to spread news about his work. He does things like posting a 'weekend pick' each week to involve audience memebers which allows him to stay relevant.


IndieWire: The rise of international television:

1.
Foreign TV dramas have found it difficult to find a market to access whereas foreign films have successfully found a niche audience.

2.
TV must have a specific aspect that enables them to attract domestic viewers. For example, in Prisoners of war, it is made to appeal to people who identify themselves as a 'prisoner to war'.

3.
D83 attracts both the UK audiences and the US audiences because of making these two audience groups feel something about the drama. For the UK viewers, the East shows a much more working class life which may be able to make UK audiences feel like they understand that side more and for the US, the West side is given more of an Americanised setting.

4.
Subtitles forces audiences to actually focus on the film instead of being distracted by anything.

5.
What matters to the audience is not language it is made in but more of the culture representations and cultural awareness.

Tuesday, 2 April 2019

Deutschland 83 case study

Reviews and features:

1.
Reviews have said that the supermarket scene was 'a perfect moment in a near-perfect series' which compliments on the realistic aspects of the drama.


2.
Reviews also said that the drama had brought in quite some old stereotypes which was viewed as inaccurate in the modern world.


3.
The drama was successful in presenting the differences between the two sides of Germany including the slight differences between the way both sides spoke.


4.
'A good soundtrack supporting a poor script' - I disagree with this statement. I really liked the narrative of the drama and thought that the music was just an incorporated aspect into making it better than it already was.



Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features:

1.
The earlier division between East and West Germany was no longer there while growing up and he had complete freedom.


2.
Channel 4 holds reputation for entertaining their audiences at the same time educating audiences. By having foreign language television, it allows more people to learn about other cultures and the interesting narrative of Deutschland 83 satisfies the entertainment side of audience needs.


3.
The talk of political situation in Germany many be of interest to Channel 4 because their audiences tend to have a certain amount of interest toward political views and discussions.



Behind the scenes clips:

1.
The clip talks about how well the actors played their roles which is one of the reasons why audiences should seek to watch it. Another reason given was that the drama is not specifically aimed at one particular generation but both younger and older audiences at the same time.


2.
Deutschland 83 is set during the time period when Germany was split into 2. This time period is not one where many films and dramas showed both sides of Germany. The films in the West would focus on the West and the films from the East would focus on the East.


3.
The cinematography, production and costume designs.



Making Of: Set Design:

1.
Since Deutschland83 is a costume drama, it is incredibly important to have characters wearing the right uniforms and clothing styles. The details to the set must be there I order to really give off the feel that the characters are really in that time period and in that place. It creates the sense of realism which is one of the dramas appeals.


2.
Most of the aspects in Deutschland 83 were very accurate to the time period it was set in. The set and costumes are definitely what made the drama feel real but some props would be harder to recreate due to a lack of resources to fid out about the original items used back then although some document props were made to look extremely official ad real.


3.
The props, costume and music can trigger nostalgia to older audiences as they may very well remember the days when people dressed that way and spoken that way etc. The realistic recreation can also be helpful for educational purposes to younger audiences wanting to learn about German history.



Textual analysis: trailer:

1.
The music used at the beginning is quite patriotic sounding music which may catch the ears of certain audience members. There is also a voice over played on top of the music which is the 'Evil Empire' speech', this again might intrigue certain audience members. Apart from the music, the editing also helped build an appeal towards the audience. The fast editing meant audiences don't get bored from looking at the same picture. This gives audiences a more on the edge experience. The clips used also are real clips and pictures like the missile. This gives the realistic aspect of the drama which again can appeal to audiences.


2.
Audience pleasures like diversion and enigma codes are suggested by the trailer.


3.
Questions about the narrative may come up as the pictures keep the audience on edge, telling them some parts of the narrative but leaving the rest hidden which makes the audience want to watch and find out what happens.


4.
At 9 seconds, apart from the big word 'spy', it has 2 pictures of the same character from when he was a soldier in the east to a spy in the west. As a spy, he is secretly taking pictures of something.

At 11 seconds, again it shows the difference between what the difference in work is between being a soldier and a spy. One works over the walls ad the other works under cover.

At 22 seconds, pick locking a skill with origins from spy work where spies are needed to break through locks without smashing it. This hints at the spy thriller genre.


5.
At 17 seconds, the supermarket shot has stacked shelves of colourful items which represent pop art work along with the costume which gives off an 80s feeling.

At 34 seconds, the television is from the 80s where they did not have flat screen TV's or touch screen TVs but a big block. The television also shows a speech from the time.

At 36 seconds, the technology used is not as advanced compared to today. This reinforces the time period that they are in, in the drama.


6.
'Two tribes' were believed to be written about the Cold war which reflected the time period Deutschland 83 is set in. 


7.
Having subtitles in an advert means the clips and pictures would need to stay on screen much longer in order to give time for the audience member to read it all. As for avoiding using German dialogue, English is a more spoken language meaning more audiences are able to understand this.



Production ad industry context:

1.
A German production company.


2.
A British international television distribution company who show shows like Britain's got talent around prime time.


3.
Deutschland 83 is produced by a global subsidiarised company but also includes postmodernism ideologies and Americanisation to attract global audiences.



Walter presents:

Channel 4 shows him to be a professional within his profession. They focus on the fact that he has reviewed tons of films ad shows.


2.
Channel 4 are trying to appeal to those audiences who are interested in watching arthouse films.


3.
Walter presents believes that most audiences now watch media online on streaming platforms where they are able to binge watch. By putting Walter presents online also, it means people can easily access it and due to the growth in how many are watching online these days, it has a higher chance of success.





Thursday, 28 March 2019

TV: Capital - Applying Marxism

1.
There was a small minority that held power and wealth in which they could use in order to make themselves even more wealthier where they would use their money in order to increase the amount of power they had to rein over the powerless.


2.
The apprentices rely on their powerhead in order to survive in the market and work place. This reinforces the capitalist values and ideologies as there is still one with power and the other without who seeks the powerful in order to survive.


3.
  • Coronation street
  • Waterloo Road
  • EastEnders

4.
Capital includes most of the given bullet points but not all. Capital does showcase the bullet points about the power the group of elites hold against others. This can be seen within a few scenes in the drama such as the meeting scene where even though the 2 bosses have no clue what their job requires, they are still able to show power dominance over the employee. This clearly shows that it does not matter whether the elites have the brains to run the world but they do have the money and status to. Another scene would include the figure differences between people like roger and people like Quintina. Quintina is earning a tiny figure of a few hundred whereas Roger likes to complain at a 30 grand bonus. The inequality between the two is highlighted in areas as those.

PPE 2 Learner Response

1) Type up your  feedback  in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to). WWW - This is a very solid exam with clear...