P2: TV Drama

 Wednesday 4th November 2020

Television: Industries and Audiences

Learning Objectives: to research the history, companies & regulators in the Television Industry.

Exam Unit Introduction

• Paper 1: Section A 
• You will be given an unseen extract from a TV drama to watch and analyse.
• You will be asked THREE questions about the extract and TWO about TV in general.

Could be asked about:

• How MEDIA LANGUAGE has been used to create meaning.
• How the INDUSTRY has influenced the meaning.
• The AUDIENCE's reaction to the extract.
• The SOCIAL, CULTURAL & HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

Terminology Definitions:

• Publicly owned TV Channel - In the United Kingdom, the term "public service broadcasting" refers to broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than to serve purely commercial interests. Funded by government & license fees for the public service.

• Commercial TV Channel - Commercial TV stations are owned privately. They get their money by selling advertising time. Funded through advertisements.

• Convergence - Media convergence is the merging of mass communication outlets – print, television, radio, the Internet along with portable and interactive technologies through various digital media platforms. Process of joining different technologies into one device. E.g mobile phones. Merging together.

• Watershed - The watershed means the time when TV programmes which might be unsuitable for children can be broadcast. The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am. (15+)

• Segmented market - Audience divided into different groups depending on taste and interests.

• Mainstream - Mass audience; the ideas, attitudes, or activities that are shared by most people and regarded as normal or conventional.

• Self-regulating - Not regulated by outside bodies. Like the BBFC who regulate all films in the UK.

• Franchise - A media franchise, also known as multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. License from a company of a product to use their show or ideas somewhere else. 

• Channel-surfing - Changing frequently from one program to another on a television, watching each one only for a short time

• PSB - Public Service Broadcasting: regulators demand these particular channels fulfil certain requirements as part of their license to broadcast.

• TV Licence - Any household/business, recording live broadcasts require to pay a license fee. Funds the BBC.

• Scheduling - Deciding which shows to watch at which times.

• Conglomerate - A company that owns several smaller businesses whose products/services are usually very different.

Research Task

When was TV introduced to the UK?

• 2nd November 1936

In 1965, how many channels were there in the UK and what were they?

• 3 BBC, ITV & BBC2

When did ITV start? Why was it different?

• 22 September 1955. For the first year, only viewers in London could watch it. The service was provided by Associated Rediffusion, with a separate company, ITN, providing the news.

Which UK channels have to follow PSB remits?

• The public service broadcasters are those providing Channel 3 services, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and the BBC. 

Who regulates TV now?

• Ofcom

Who regulated TV channels in the 1960s?

• ITV was regulated by the Independent Television Authority (ITA) and the BBC at the time was self-regulating.

List the differences between TV in the 60s vs now?

• Black and white in the 60s.
• In 1969 all 3 channels were broadcast in colour but if you didn't have a colour TV you couldn't see it.
• Televisions were expensive, small, unreliable, and black and white.
• There was no broadcasting for large parts of the day and all television channels closed down at night, only playing the national anthem.
• Channel surfing was impossible due to tuning issues.
• All UK terrestrial channels (channels you can get without any extra internet) have to follow the PSB remit, although it is stricter if a channel is publicly owned.

Wednesday 18th November 2020 

Television Industries: Ownership & Regulation

Learning Objective: to explore the ownership and regulation of BBC1 and ITV.

Who regulates TV in the UK?

• Ofcom regulates TV and radio broadcasting in the UK
• They can fine broadcasters if their programmes breach their Broadcasting Code

Public Service Broadcasting

• In the UK, PSB (TV and radio) means that broadcasting that is meant for the public benefit and not commercial concerns that are just to make money.
• In the UK, the BBC is the main PSB channel and has to follow a strict remit. This determines the kind of audience they target and the programmes they would spend their money on.
• Other terrestrial channels have to follow a PSB remit but aren't as strict as BBC.
• If a channel has adverts, they don't have PSB.

REMIT - an area of responsibility or authority

TERRESTRIAL - broadcasts using equipment on the ground rather than satellites .

PSB & The BBC

• Controlled by Ofcom externally, a board of 12-14 people internally.
• The BBC has a license to broadcast by Royal Charter, which should be renewed every 11 years. The charter sets out the BBC's purposes.
• The BBC has no Government influence and shouldn't be biased in their reports on the news.

ROYAL CHARTER: something granted by The Queen which guarantees independence and outlines the duties and purposes.

BBC - "To inform, educate and entertain"

Ethos: a set of ideas, attitudes and values associated with a particular institution.

Mission 

•  "to act in public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain."

Public Purposes 

1. To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them
2. To support learning for people of all ages.
3. To show the most creative, highest quality and distinctive output and services.
4. To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all the United Kingdom's nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United Kingdom.
5. To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world.

Because they are funded by the public, the BBC have to meet the PSB Remit in terms of the genre variety, audiences, representation and quality of programmes they produce.

BBC License Fee

• A standard TV license is currently £157.50 a year
• The BBC is funded by the annual license fee which pays for BBC TV, radio, online content and for developing new programmes. The government sets the level for the license fee.
• If you watch or listen to any BBC programmes on ANY media platform, including tablets and smartphones, it is a criminal offence not to pay the license fee. This also applies to watching BBC iPlayer.

BBC Values

• Trust is the foundation of the BBC. We're independent, partial and honest.
• We put audiences at the heart of everything we do.
• We respect each other and celebrate our diversity.
• We take pride in delivering quality and value for money.
• Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation.
• We're one BBC. Great things happen when we work together.

License Fee For/Against

For

• Independence from government.
• No commercial pressures.
• Don't have to make a profit, so don't have to make all popular formats.
• Can make more niche, quality programmes that appeal to a wide, diverse audience.

Against

• Outdated scheme (doesn't match the way we consume TV now).
• Should be pay-per-view/subscription .
• Still have the government influence as they set the level.

Commercial Channels

• Commercial channels are mainly funded through advertising.
• ITV1, Channel 4 & Channel 5 are commercially funded channels which also have to fulfil some PSB requirements.
• e.g Channel 4 has a remit to deliver high-quality, innovative, alternative programmes that challene accepted views and values.
• C4 is commercially funded but publicly owned - this means that any profits made from advertising goes straight into new programmes and not to shareholders.

These generally have no guaranteed income (even ITV, C4 and C5 which have a small PSB remit) therefore it is essential they are profitable.
They can generate income by:

• Subscription
• Pay Per View 
• Sponsorship
• Advertising (it costs £250,000 for 30 seconds during Britain's Got Talent)
• Product Placement 

PSB Remit:

Programmes from BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, C4 or C5 being shown this week that meets each characteristic.

ITV - Our vision is to be 'More than TV'

• By the 1950s, many people felt the 'BBC represented a high-culture snobbery that many leftist associated with an oppressive class structure'. There was a 'desire for a playful, commercial, anti-citizen address as a counter.'
• This came along in 1955 as ITV
• As a terrestrial broadcaster, it has a PSB remit to follow. ITV is a body made up of lots of smaller companies. It is non-profit.

Number and names of ITV channels:

• 6
• ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV, ITVBe

Strategy:

• To be a digitally led media and entertainment company that brings our brilliant content to audiences wherever, whenever and however they choose.
• 
  

Wednesday 25th November 2020

TV Audiences

L/O: To explore how audiences consume TV dramas and the appeals.

Ways audiences can access TV programmes today:

• Watch it live
• Streaming (Netflix)
• Different devices (phone, laptop, etc)
• Record
• Catch-up
• Subscriptions (Sky)

Second Screening: Screenings that encourage audiences to talk about the show on social media whilst it's playing live.

THEORY: Active Audience

• This focus on debates as to whether an audience is ACTIVE or PASSIVE.
• Passive audiences - accept & believe everything the media tells them and are easily influenced and don't question any of the messages shown.
• Active audiences - interact with a media text and would make their own decisions on whether they should accept and believe something. They would question messages.

Why would audiences be more active now than in the 1960s?

• Much more channel competition (channel surfing)
• Different platforms availible
• Second screening
• Interactivity possible
• Greater range of messages

Scheduling

• Scheduling is massively important to both BBC and ITV. Competitive scheduling can benefit the main channels as it creates publicity.
• For example, BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing results show was scheduled at the same times as The X Factor on ITV1.
• Peak viewing time is 6pm-10:30pm
• Audience ratings are measured by the Broadcaster's Audience Research Board (BARB)

Audience ratings - the number of viewers watching a TV programme.

The Watershed

• Overseen by OFCOM, it is between 9pm & 5;30pm.
• During these hours, broadcasters can show content that isn't suitable for children up to the age of 15, 18 rated content can't be shown until after 10pm.

Serial TV Drama

What is the difference between a TV Drama & Serial TV Drama?

Serial TV Drama is defined as any television drama that is organised into a series of episodes (as opposed to one-off dramas). Typically a series contains between 3 and 12 episodes.

A serial has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. TV Dramas typically follow main story arcs that span an entire season.

Sub-Genre Task:

• Crime drama - Criminal Minds, Sherlock Holmes
• Period drama - The Crown, Downton Abbey
• Teen drama - Skins, 13 Reasons Why
• Medical drama - Grey's Anatomy, Casualty
• Science-Fiction drama - Dr Who
• Fantasy drama - Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials
• Political drama - House of Cards

The 1960s

L/O: research the social, historical and political context of The Avengers.

Social & Political Context

Most famous bands of the 60s: 

• The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys

Political party in charge & the PM: 

• Labour Party, Sir Harold Wilson
• Up until after the war, conservative was in charge. This was a big change because the labour party represented more the lower class people whereas the conservative party was representing the upper classes.

Illegal drugs: 

• LSD
• Weed
• Acid

Scientific development that changes women's lives: 

• Contraceptive Pill invented, women had more control over their lives

Significant historical events: 

• 1961 - First man in space
• 1969 - First man on the moon
• 1960 - Coronation Street first aired
• 1964 - BBC 2 went on air and was the first channel to have colour in 1967.
• JFK assassinated 

Wars being fought around the world: 

• The Cold War
• The Vietnam War
• The Korean War

Subjects people were protesting about in the UK: 

• Civil Rights - women, racial equality
• UK & US involvement in Vietnam War

How life would have been different in the 1960s for women, men and different races compared to now in the UK: 

• Life was different in the 1960s for people compared to know because more things were being created and invented. Women only had just received the contraceptive pill in the 60s and that was an important thing for women but now there is a lot more contraception today. Women and men were also both working together in different jobs and getting paid, women still being payed less though. It was also different for everyone because food and products that people had to buy were a lot more expensive for people compared to how little they were paid, so now workers are earning more and the food etc they can buy is more affordable for them. There were Civil Rights protests about racial equality, meaning people of different races had more of a voice.

Key Contextual Areas

• Concerns over the Cold War - In 1965, the Cold War was at its height. Britain was a part of NATO - a group of 12 western countries who agreed to support each other in case of a Soviet (Russia) attack. The Soviet Union formed a pact with 7 other communist countries. Europe was divided into 2 armed sides. It was called the Cold War because it wasn't a military war but it had spies involved and both sides were trying to find information about each other.
• Threat of Nuclear War - Anxieties about nuclear war were common as both the Soviet Union and the US were building up their armies and weapons. In 1962, The Cuban Missile Crisis took place over a terrifying week when the two countries took the world to the brink of a nuclear war.
• Espionage - Both sides in the cold war used espionage: as a way of finding out what the other side was doing and as a way to plant false information. A number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the early 60s and either defected or were imprisoned. This meant espionage was a common theme in films and TV programmes.

Wednesday 9th December 2020

The Avengers (1965)

Learning Objective: to research the TV show the Avengers.

1) Which institution (channel) produced the show?

• ABC Television, within the ITV Network

2) Who was the primary audience (age rating/gender/interests etc)?

• Mainstream adult audience

3) When did the first episode air?

• 7 January 1961

4) How many seasons were made?

• 6 seasons

5) What date/year was the last episode aired?

• 21 May 1969

6) What was the budget for Series 4?

• £56,000 per episode

British television did compete on the world market, with prestige productions such as The Avengers being sold to many countries overseas (90 countries by 1969). A lucrative deal with the American Broadcasting Company (reportedly 52 million) required the 4th series of The Avengers to be shot on film and allowed high production values for television of that era. Previous series were very studio bound, as was conventional for television of that era, and so appear to be very 'stagey' by contemporary standards. Videotape editing was a difficult and costly process so most television was mixed live, with mistakes.

The BBC was slowly weaned away from its stuffy 'Auntie' image by the rigours of competition with ITV. However, channel loyalty tended to split on class lines, with ITV seen as the more working class channel - at a time when, with the rise of youth culture.

Who were the stars of Series 4 Episode: The Town of No Return?

• Diana Rigg played Emma Peel
• Patrick Macnee played John Steed

The Avengers & Scheduling

There were only 3 channels in the 1960s and people would be more loyal to a specific channel if you liked it. It was scheduled at Saturdays at 9:05pm - peak time to attract a mass audience. The 4th series attracted audiences of around 7 million and was often in the top 10 ratings.

Wednesday 6th January 2021

The Avengers: The Town of No Return.

The narrative (storyline): The main characters go to a town (Little Bazeley) that has reported multiple agents going missing. They end up at an inn with another man they met on the train, who eventually leaves to find his brother who lives nearby. As the other two are staying at the inn, they hear noises and try to look out the window being boarded shut. The noises turned out to be dogs chasing after the man on the train, and they find his body the next day after going to the beach, investigating some suspicious footprints. Emma Peele goes to the school as a teacher and realises that there are no children there but there are adult-sized boots and lots of food that could supply many people. A dying man comes into the classroom that she works in and keeps repeating the word 'below' until he dies. After seeing this she goes to the church, eventually being caught by more imposters but is found by John Steed. They both realise that the man saying 'below' could be talking about an underground bunker, as they are near an airfield and do find one. There is a small army down there and a lot of weapons, they get found and have a fight and end up trapping the army underground completely.

The characters: John Steed, Emma Peel, Mark Brandon, Jimmy Smallwood, 'Piggy' Warren, Jonathan Ainsbury (Vicar), School Inspector.

How the episode shows the social and cultural context (mid 60s): The episode shows the social and cultural context of the mid 60s because the characters all wear the clothing that everyone would have worn at that time.

Audience appeal: The show appealed to the audience at the time because there were a range of characters with all different personalities that could be similar to someone watching, especially John Steed and Emma Peel. People may relate with John Steed because he was a typical man in England back in the 60s as he was usually quite calm, cool and was in charge most of the time. However, people may also relate to Emma Peel because she wasn't a typical woman in the 60s because she was as equally in control as John Steed, powerful, and would fight if she needed to. They would get information on how the world is and about agents and the upper class. They would be entertained as they could lose themselves in the narrative and the fact there was a new episode every week. The genre is something that most people can enjoy because it has mystery and crime, something a lot of people would find entertaining as they can think about the story etc.

Friday 8th January 2021

Context - The Avengers: The Town of No Return

Learning Objective: To analyse the influence of the social and historical contexts of Series 4, Episode 1.

Major Concerns in the 1960s:

• Cold War
• Threat of nuclear war
• Threat of foreign invasion
• Espionage

Intertextual References

Fifth Columnists were a group of people who secretly support the enemy and undermine a country from within.

Who were the Fifth Columnists in this episode?

The episode references WW2 films like Went the Day Well? from 1944. In both cases, the English country village is an illusion, as sinister intruders are impersonating stereotypical British characters.

Who were these characters and how were they shown to be stereotypes?

Many national concerns could be seen in some of the films released in the early 60s.

The Ipcress File: an unglamorous spy film with Michael Caine as a British agent.

• People would have been more interested in spy films and TV shows if it was something that was featured a lot.

Thunderball: the fourth James Bond film.

• James Bond was popular and a lot of people enjoyed it so by making The Avengers have a similar theme would make it popular as well.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold: Cold War spy film.

• The Cold War was a big threat at the time so lots of shows and films included it, and would inform people about what was happening.

The War Game: fiction film on the effects of a nuclear attack on Britain.

• There was also a threat of nuclear war and people were thinking about what might happen in the future.

It Happened Here: fiction film about occupation of Britain by the Nazis.

• Nazis were a big part of WW2 because of what they did and their influence on Britain.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E: American spy thriller TV series.

• More shows about spies would make people interested in them and want to learn about them at that time.

   

Reassuring the Audience

References to WW2 - The scene where Steed walks around the deserted airfield and doffs his hat to his reflection is a salute to all those in WW2 and reminds the audience that Britain triumphed.

Humour - They use humour throughout the episode and even in moments of danger to help the audience feel relaxed and calm.

Melodrama - They use events that are exciting to engage the reader but also make them exaggerated so that the audience can feel like it isn't fully realistic.

Representation of the enemy - In one of the final scenes, there is a fight between the antagonists and the enemy. In that scene, the enemy isn't shown to be very strong and are quite easily beaten.

Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.

In The Avengers, social contexts influence television programmes because of the shows and movies that were released at similar times. There are multiple shows and films abput current events happening at the time like: 'The Spy Who Came in from the Cold' and 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E' . Both of these were released in the 60s and they both included spies, something a lot of people were interested in but also worried about at the time. Espionage was the practice of spying or using spies, and it was a big topic in the 60s, especially because in the Cold War both sides used spies.

Also, in The Avengers, social contexts influence television programmes because there was a lot happening in the 60s that the audience needed to be reassured about. For example, in The Avengers, there is a scene where Steed is looking around the old, abandoned airfield. In this scene, Steed finds a piece of a mirror and he looks at it, doffs his hat to his reflection and walks away again. This scene was a salute to everyone who fought in WW2 and it is to remind and comfort the audience that Britain won.

Finally, The Avengers is also influenced by social contexts such as mentioning other things that were happening in the 60s. At the time, there was the threat of nuclear war and foreign invasion. The show represented the enemy to not be as smart as the protagonists and easily beatable. This would reassure the audience that Britain wouldn't be easy to beat if there was to be an invasion etc. This was especially demonstrated in one of the final scenes where there is a fight between the protagonists and antagonists, Peel and Steed winning in the end.

Friday 22nd January 2021

Industries and Audiences

Learning Objective: to research the history, companies & regulators in the Television Industry.

Terminology:

• Publicly owned TV channel - where a channel is paid by the public watching their broadcasts.
• Commercial TV channel -  It shows local news, shows, movies, concerts and other programmes.
• Convergence - to merge different types of media together.
• Watershed - 9pm on TV where shows that are unsuitable for younger children are played.
• Segmented market - To show a certain group of people something that only they would like.
• Mainstream - The most conventional or to make something 'normal'
• Self regulating - They regulate their own content without input from other companies or the government etc.
• Franchise - A collection of media based around a film or book etc. and creating more things to do with that subject.
• Channel-surfing - Switch between TV channels frequently.
• PSB - Public Service Broadcasting who make sure that broadcasters meet certain rules in their shows to be able to be shown.
• TV license - Any household/business, recording live broadcasts require to pay a license fee.
• Scheduling - Deciding which shows to show at which times.
• Conglomerate -  A company that owns several smaller businesses whose products/services are usually very different.

Research

When was TV introduced to the UK?

• 2nd November 1936

In 1965, how many channels were there in the UK and what where they?

• 3: BBC, ITV & BBC2

When did ITV start? Why was it different?

• 22 September 1955. Only people in London could see it for it's first year. The service was provided by Associated Rediffusion, with a separate company, ITN, providing the news.

Who regulates TV now?

• Ofcom

Which UK channels have to follow PSB remits?

•  Channel 3 services, Channel 4, Channel 5, S4C and the BBC. 

Who regulated TV channels in the 1960s?

• ITV was regulated by the Independent Television Authority (ITA).
• BBC was self-regulating.

List the differences between TV in the 60s and now.

• Televisions were small, unreliable and only broadcasted in black and white.
• All shows black and white.
• In 1969, all 3 channels had colour but you had to have a colour TV for it to work.
• No broadcasting for most of the day
• All television channels closed down at night, only playing the national anthem.
• Channel surfing couldn't happen because of tuning.

Wednesday 20th January 2021

Television in the 2010s

Learning Objectives: research the 2010s (UK) in terms of social, cultural and political climate of the decade; research TV usage in 2015.

Research:

Which political party was in power in 2015? Who is PM? What was the relevance of UKIP being so popular?

• Conservative Party
• David Cameron
• Wanted the UK to be independent from other things.

What were the major fears and issues of the post 9/11 era?

• Many people were scared for a while because of what happened and it was a widely talked about subject and a big shock to people.

What wars were being fought around the world?

• Afghanistan War, Iraq War, Syrian War

What were people protesting about in the UK?

• Extinction rebellion
• Donald Trump visiting UK

2015 vs 1965

Using the information you have found and your own knowledge of our culture today, explain the differences you would expect to see from a police drama in 2015 compared to one from 1965.

In a police drama from 1965 there wouldn't be much representation of different sexualities, genders and religions. Representation wasn't seen as 'important' as it is now and showing a range of characters in the shows. In the 2010s, representation was a more talked about topic and gradually had more people backing it and wanting there to be more representation of different types of people.

The problems in 1965 were very different to those going on in 2015. There wasn't really a threat of nuclear war in 2015 and in 1965 there was the Cold War. There were still wars going on in the world in 2015 but they didn't have as much of a threat towards the UK, meaning that there wasn't people worrying about espionage either as that was only a problem in the 1960's.

Friday 22nd January 2021

Television Industry 2010s

Learning Objective: to explore the TV industry in 2010s and the effect on TV shows and audiences.

The TV Industry:

How many channels are there to watch for FREE on UK TV?

• 80

What different ways are there to watch TV now?

• On TVs
• Streaming/apps
• On phones/laptops/tablets

What would make you want to watch a new TV series?

• If it was something I know I'd be interested in and the trailer was good.
• Or if people are talking about it a lot.

What different methods do producers use to keep audiences interested in a show?

• They'll change things in the show to match what is happening currently in the world or include things that are popular at that time.

Cuffs

What elements did the producers include and why?

• They used dramatic parts of the show to make the audience want to see what goes on in the show and also included some comedy so that their audience knows that the show will include a range of things.

How have they represented police life?

• They have represented police life to be quite dangerous and to show that there is always something going on for them to deal with.

How have they represented personal dramas?

• To be something that a lot of people may deal with and have their own 'personal dramas' a lot and it's something that they help with.

How have they used Media Language to make it appeal to the target audience?

• They used fast editing when there were dangerous and dramatic scenes in the show and slowed it down when there was more to talk about. They also used mainly low level lighting to reflect that the show is normally serious and has important topics.

Passive v Active Audiences

Explain the difference and give examples.

• Passive audiences - accept & believe everything the media tells them and are easily influenced and don't question any of the messages shown.
• Active audiences - interact with a media text and would make their own decisions on whether they should accept and believe something. They would question messages.

Explain how the audiences for The Avengers and Cuffs would have been very different and why.

• The audiences for The Avengers and Cuffs would have been very different because both of the shows came out at very different times, and different things were happening in the world at those times. 

Why did the producers of Cuffs use the following to target a mainstream family audience: Comedy elements, a range of multicultural characters, authentic locations and exciting police procedural scenes.

• They used these elements to target a mainstream family audience because families would usually have one person in them that would enjoy at least one of them. So this meant that they would get the most amount of people watching if they had a range of different topics and subjects in it.

Wednesday 27th January 2021

Cuffs: Series 1, Episode 1

Learning Objective: to analyse the narratives and characters constructed in an opening episode.

PC Ryan Draper - A more serious character and is important in the police force.

PC Jake Vickers - New police officer, more scared than the others and is being instructed. 

DS Jo Moffat - Detective helping the police, likes Chief Super.

Chief Super Robert Vickers - Jake Vickers' dad, in charge and his wife has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

DC Carl Hawkins - Works closely with Jo Moffatt, more relaxed

DI Felix Kane - Quiet compared to the other characters and his private life is more hidden.

PC Donna Prager - Good friends with Lino and isn't as serious compared to some of the others.

PC Lino Moretti - Likes to do things more relaxed, friends with Donna.

Wednesday 3rd February 2021

Cuffs & Social Contexts

Learning Objective: to analyse representation and influence of social & cultural context in Cuffs

Representation:

How was the stereotypical English seaside town represented in Episode 1?

• The stereotypical English seaside town was represented by making the interaction between characters not completely serious and the props are what you would usually find at an English seaside town like wind breakers etc. 

2015 Social Values

• Far more gender equality.
• Class structure supposedly disappeared.
• Acceptance of a range of sexualities.
• Attitudes to outside/foreigners.
• Patriarchal society less evident.
• Multicultural society - Equalities Act 2010.
• Changing attitudes towards the police.

Women's roles and representation

DS Jo Moffat - She has important status as a Detective, although it could be argued that this is undermined by her affair with her boss, Chief Superintendent Vickers. She is represented as weak when she hesitates about leading the press conference on the racist attack, but as strong during the police raid. Her status and power in the police reflect the number of women in positions of authority in 2015.

PC Donna Prager - She is an important member of the police force and is shown to be more light-hearted than some of the other characters. She jokes around a lot with her best friend in the force, PC Lino Moretti. However, she takes her job seriously when she needs to and gets everything done properly.

PC Misha Baig - She is newer to her job than some of the others but still does everything effectively and with good results. She is also a British Muslim, her faith being something she is proud of and is important to her. Her representation is important to other Muslims that would watch the show.

Men's roles and representations

PC Jake Vickers - He is the son of Chief Superintendent Vickers, something a lot of the officers think is the reason he has hi job. He is also homosexual, providing representation for some viewers as it was starting to be less uncommon for there to be LGBT representation.

Chief Superintendent Vickers - A more traditional representation of masculinity, as the dominant, controlling male whose job it is to keep his team of detectives and police officers in line. Represented as authoritative and patriarchal in both his work and personal life.

PC Lino Moretti - A less stereotypical police officer as he is less serious about things, joking around with PC Donna Prager a lot. Like her, he also does do his job properly when it is needed but still keeping everything light-hearted.

Changing Attitudes: Sexuality

Visibility of LGBT characters increased and accepted representations.

   - There is more visibility of LGBT characters as one of the main characters, Jake Vickers, is homosexual. 

Jake Vickers' character challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being a issue or problem/

   - He is a police officer who has an important role in the force, this challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being an issue because LGBT characters weren't normally seen in places of power and having authority.

Changing Attitudes: Multiculturalism

Positive view of multiculturalism reflects 2015 attitudes

   - The characters in the show treat people of different cultures the same as anyone else when dealing with crimes that involve them.

Differences in ethnicity are accepted

   - There are multiple different ethnicities shown throughout the show and all of them are shown positively and are mostly accepted.

Racism still exists in Britain

   - There was the racist attack in the shop.

Racist group reflected very negatively

   - The racist group was reflected negatively in the show as they were shown to be aggressive and uncaring about what they do to people.

The powerful anti-racist message reflects society attitudes in 2015.

   - The police force were trying to do what they could in helping people against racist attacks and caring for those affected, trying to find the people that did it.

How does Episode 1 of Cuffs show a change in the social and cultural context of British society.

Episode 1 of Cuffs shows a change in the social and cultural context of British society because they show how different genders are portrayed in the show. Throughout Episode 1, there are multiple women who work in the force and have important roles. For example, there is DS Jo Moffat who has a high status being a detective and a key person for the force to work, she is portrayed as very strong during the police raid and managing to detain one of the men, however she may also be seen in the opposite way when she hesitated to lead the press conference on the racist attack. This means women are getting more important and stronger roles in shows. In Episode 1, there is also the stereotypical police officer, Chief Superintendent Vickers. He is in a position of power and authority within the show, which is expected of men of that role, he has to keep the force in line and make sure everything runs as smooth as it possibly can. This is a stereotypical role for men in most shows, especially those working in a position of power.

Wednesday 24th February 2021

Analysing an Extract

Learning Objective: to analyse the use of media language in a TV Drama extract.

Camerawork:

• Establishing shots.
• Low angle, high angle, canted angle or aerial shots.
• Camera movement: tracking, steadicam or crane shots.
• Hand-held camera.
• Point-of-view.
• Shallow focus and focus pulls.

Editing

• Shot/reverse shot.
• Juxtaposition.
• Non-continuity editing.
• Crosscutting.
• Fast-paced editing.
• Transitions: dissolve, wipe, fade.
• Post production effects.

Soundtrack

• Music.
• Diegetic/non-diegetic sound.
• Sound effects.
• Sound bridge.
• Voiceover.
• Parallel sound.
• Contrapuntal sound.

Mise en scene

• High key & low-key lighting.
• Location/set.
• Costume and make-up.
• Props.
• Casting and performance style.
• Blocking (the composition of elements within the shot)

Exam Question:

How has SOUND been used to CREATE MEANING?

Sound Terminology

Soundtrack - the recorded sound element of a film.

Theme music/tune - a recurrent melody in the film.

Sound effects - sounds other than dialogue or music made artificially (Often referred to as Foley Sound)

Ambient sound - buzz and/or surrounding sounds.

Dialogue - speech.

Sound bridges - sound that continues from one scene to another. This helps create a smooth transition between scenes. In this way, the sound is said to be enhancing the continuity of the film.

Parallel sound - sound that compliments the image track. Sound & image track. Sound & image seem to reflect each other.

Contrapuntal sound - sound that does not complement or fit with the image track.

How do you feel about the characters in the scene? What kind of atmosphere has been created?

The police officers are a lot more composed and calm most of the time compared to the public who don't care as much. Overall, the atmosphere is serious as it shows what the police have to deal with, even if it isn't as serious as other things.

What SOUND techniques have been used to create these impressions?

They use more dramatic and intense music at the throughout the whole of the clip to give the scene a serious feel. They use the voiceover of the Chief Superintendent talking about how serious police work is and the challenges they face. 

How has sound been used to create meaning? [5]

Sound has been used to create meaning by giving the clip a serious feel and representing what a police officer's job is like. At the start of the clip, you can hear intense and fast music which makes the extract feel serious and showing to the audience that there are severe crimes that they deal with. There's also the voiceover of the Chief Superintendent playing throughout the whole clip, where he talks about how the things police deal with are important and how they face a lot of challenges everyday, which adds to the suspenseful music. Overall, the sound has been used to create meaning by making the audience think about what police have to deal with when they do their jobs and saying that most crimes they deal with are serious. Finally, the sound is used to contrast between what is being said in the speech and what we see happening as you can hear the speech and the serious music, but it is over the top of the beach scene, which is a lot more comedic. 

Wednesday 3rd March 2021

Analysing an Extract

Learning Objective: to analyse the use of media language in a TV Drama extract.

Watch the scene where Mrs Peel confronts the vicar. How was sound used to create meaning?

Sound has been used to create meaning as they use music in the clip that matches the genre of the show. When Mrs Peel is confronting the vicar, there is eerie but calm choir music playing to make Mrs Peele think that there is an actual practice. The music creates a feeling of mystery, matching the genre of the show as a whole and making the clip more effective in showing that. Choir music may sometimes be used in horror films etc, to make the audience more on edge, as it isn't something that is meant to be scary, making it more unsettling.

Moreover, sound has been used to create meaning as they use more dramatic sounds when something happens in the show. For example, when the vicar suggests that Mrs Peel is an impostor as well and he pulls out a gun, there is dramatic music to emphasize what is happening and that she is in danger. Also, when Mrs Peel opens the door to reveal the other men there, the music in the background gets a lot louder, making the part feel a lot more important It could also show that there isn't anything else she can do to escape as the music gets louder and nearer to the end.

Wednesday 5th May 2021

TV Drama: Consolidation

Learning Objective: to analyse the techniques used and their effects in the opening episode of Cuffs.

How the police are represented compared to the criminals.

• The criminals are shown to have greasy hair, trench coats etc compared to the police who seem more trustworthy.
• Mise-en-scene - their house is messy, they're smoking and drinking, the music they listen to (angry), the house is dark.

How tension is created in dramatic scenes.

• They use suspenseful music and slow motion shots.
• Fast cuts between the two pairs of police.
• Fast paced music and hand held cameras.
• Parallel editing between those on the scene and the ones driving.
• The camera movement was shaky and fast moving.
• Camera shot constantly moving between weapons and characters to show the threat and danger.

Stereotypes used or subverted

• Criminals shown at a stereotypical stag-do.
• Messy house and clothing, drug addict and mental health issues. The police officer is sympathetic towards him.

Juxtaposition between the voiceover talking about how serious being a police officer is but the scene is more light-hearted and the officer is breaking up a stag-do.

You know that the officer is the main character as he is the one you follow from the start and when everyone else is talking, all voices except his are muffled.

Camera shots - high angle (powerless), low angle (intimidating). Spinning to show he doesn't know what is going on.

Slow motion and muffled sound to show he is holding his breath.

Wednesday 12th May 2021

Learning Objective: to explore exam technique and key assessment area.

Q1) Media language

How has mise-en-scene been used to create meaning?

• Blocking - Superintendent is shown at the front because they're a main character 
• Lighting -
• Costume, hair & make-up - The group on the beach have matching shirts with names on and viking hats.  
• Settings / location - 
• Props - 

Q2) Media language and representation

Analyse extract using media language and representation to make a judgement. 3 - 4 examples and judgement. Can look at MES, camerawork, editing, sound.....

'Judge how far....'

Q3) Long essay based question

- How certain viewpoints have been shown

- How certain ideas or values have been represented

- How the audience have been positioned

- How the context has effected the meaning

- Theory

How far does the extract use stereotypes to portray 'real' life?

In your answer you should:

• Analyse aspects of the extract, giving detailed examples.
• Judge how far these aspects create a sense of watching 'real' life.

Theoretical framework.

Audience:

• How might audiences react differently to the extract?
• Would scheduling have effected the representation of real life? (Broadcast before watershed so it couldn't be too graphic - not as realistic.)

Q4) TV Industry & Audiences

May ask you about the TV industry and audiences in general. It could ask you to refer to EITHER TV drama we have studied. Make at least 2 or 3 points.

You could be asked about:

• Scheduling
• Regulation
• PSB (Public Service Broadcasting) - BBC are funded through TV licenses through the public. They need to follow guidelines.
• Technology
• Audience appeals (uses and gratifications)
• Entertainment

Example Question: Explain how TV channels target specific audiences.

• What would you need to include?
• What facts could you support your answer with?
• How many points do you think you need to make?

Both ITV and BBC1 have MAINSTREAM audiences. 

Cuffs targets a mainstream audience by not showing graphic scenes. Targeted at men and women because both are in positions of power. Targets a range of ethnicities because there is a multicultural cast. Range of ages.

Q5) Contexts

Will ask you about the social, political or historical context of The Avengers.

You could be asked about:

• Influence of social context
• Influence of political context
• Differences between 1965 and 2015
• Effects of context on programming

Explain how social and cultural contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.

1960s Context

• Espionage (spies).
• Between Russia and The Allies.
• First James Bond film.
• Civil Rights movements - the entire cast was white.
• Gender equality - One of the main characters is a spy and female. She is seen as strong but is still saved by Steed at some points. She represents the younger audience.
• Protests about Vietnam War.