Capital
Capital is a complex mainstream television product in which the codes and conventions of the crime drama are intertwined with aspects of social realism.
Media Language- Mise-en-scene analysis (setting. props, production, design, costume), Semiotics (Stuart hall)
Narrative- The ways in which the narrative structure of Capital offers gratification to the audience, use of the narrative conventions of the crime drama
Genre- Conventions of the TV mini-series, Definition of the series as a hybrid genre, belonging to the drama, social realism and crime genres (neale)
Media Representations- Representations of family and their ideological significance, Representation of place – London and by implication, the nation, Theories of representation including Hall.
Media Industries- Capital as a BBC programme, fulfil the demands of Public Service Broadcasting. In addition to the remit to ‘inform, educate and entertain’ this could also be examined as part of the need to represent different groups, nations and regions. Kudos production for the BBC, Kudos specialises in TV series which can be sold or remade for the US market, making it typical of contemporary media institutions which operate globally rather than nationally.
Media Audiences- The production, distribution and circulation of Capital shows how audiences can be reached, both on a national and global scale, The advertising campaigns (trailers, websites at home and abroad) for the series demonstrate how media producers target, attract and potentially construct audiences. (hall & Gerbner)
Social, political, economic and cultural contexts– deals with pressing contemporary issues relevant to British society and culture; the financial crash and its repercussions, divisions in society based on wealth, Britain as a multicultural society, Britain as a European nation (or not), threat of terrorism and its effects.
Deutschland 83
Media Language- Mise-en-scene analysis, Semiotics: how images signify cultural meanings, Postmodernism: Use of pastiche and bricolage
Narrative- The narrative of Deutschland 83 has been controversial – particularly in Germany -through its use of binary oppositions to contrast East and West Germany, postmodern in its self-reflexive style.
Genre- Conventions of the TV series and the way in which this form is used to appeal to audiences
Media Representations- Deutschland 83 provides a range of representational areas to explore from the national and
regional to political structures and gender roles, Theories of representation including Hall
Media Industries- It is a co-production of AMC Networks’ SundanceTV and RTL Television (German and American), positioning it to exploit the national and global market. Bought by C4 in Britain as part of their ‘Walter presents…’
Media Audiences- production, distribution and circulation of Deutschland 83 shows how audiences can be reached, both on a national and global scale, through different media technologies and platforms, moving from the national to transnational through broadcast and digital technologies. The reception of the series in Germany, Europe and the US. Cultivation theory including Gerbner, Reception theory including Hall
Social, political, economic and cultural contexts- Deutschland 83 is part of cultural phenomenon of the early twenty first century which for the first time saw TV series not in the English language become part of mainstream UK broadcasting,
Social, political, economic and cultural contexts- Deutschland 83 is part of cultural phenomenon of the early twenty first century which for the first time saw TV series not in the English language become part of mainstream UK broadcasting, deals with the political past of Germany through the setting of the last decade of the cold war.
Commercial media- Kudos/ AMC Networks’ SundanceTV and RTL Television
Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) – BBC/ C4
horizontal integration- kudos and bbc made it together
vertical integration- bbc made it and then broadcasted it
media concentrations- number of organisations that produce media
media pluralism- media organisations creating the same products
Hesmondhalgh
| Hesmondhalgh | Case Studies |
| Changing audience consumption patterns | Both programs can be accessed via online services eg amazon prime or c4 player |
| Multi-sector integration | Deutschland- Reinhold heil- German musician created soundtrack- soundtrack is also on spotify |
| Star formatting | Toby Jones- in capital- famous actor |
| Genre based formatting | Deutschland- spy thriller genre – follows the conventions of a period drama |
| serialization | Deutschland 86 is a sequel created after Deutschland 83 |
| independent stylizing | Deutschland- subtitles non mainstream in British tv |
| internationalization | Deutschland- a co-production of AMC Networks’ SundanceTV and RTL Television- exploit the national and global market // Capital- on amazon prime can be watched globally |