Product: Capital TV series

Selection Criteria

Television – A product which will provide rich and challenging opportunities for interpretation and in depth critical analysis.

Media Language

Capital is a complex mainstream television product in which the codes and conventions of the crime drama are intertwined with aspects of social realism. Detailed analysis of this media form including the process through which media language develops as genre will provide students with an opportunity to understand and reflect on the dynamic nature of genre. Analysis should include:

Mise-en-scene analysis Semiotics:

how images signify cultural meaningsNarrative

Which narrative techniques are used to engage the audience in the opening episode of Capital?

How does the use of the narrative conventions of the crime drama – use of enigmas, restricted narration etc. – position the audience?

Capital is characteristic of contemporary TV narrative style in its use of multiple story structure.

The ways in which the narrative structure of Capital offers gratification to the audience.

Narratology including Todorov

• Narrative
• Which narrative techniques are used to engage the audience in the opening episode of Capital?
• How does the use of the narrative conventions of the crime drama – use of enigmas, restricted narration etc. – position the audience?
• Capital is characteristic of contemporary TV narrative style in its use of multiple story structure.
• The ways in which the narrative structure of Capital offers gratification to the audience.
• Narratology including Todorov

• Genre
• Conventions of the TV mini-series and the way in which this form is used to appeal to audiences; how it is distinct from, but related to series and serials.
• Definition of the series as a hybrid genre, belonging to the drama, social realism and crime genres
• Genre theory including Neale

• Media RepresentationsCapital provides a wide range of representational areas to explore; the family, place, nation, class, ethnicity, race and issues.

• Negative and positive use – or subversion – of stereotypes
• Representations of family and their ideological significance – Capital constructs its

Wanda Group (38%) Silver Lake Partners (28%)