Deutschland '83 industry

Practice news exam 1

Deutschland '83 character analysis

Deutschland '83 episode walk through

Deutschland '83 intro

Season 1, Episode 1 'Quantum Jump' 

Released October 2015 (Germany) / January 2016 (UK) on demand on Channel 4. 

(Episode titles taken from actual NATO military exercises)

Verisimilitude = Very realistic (Using real life events)

Channel 4 poster:

- 2 sides - Split down middle - East and West

- Dark side, East - Grey, communist, barbed wire

- Light side, West - Colourful, love, fruit, games

- Character split in two - Uniform and casual

- Young character but historical programme

- Binary Opposites - Two hands each side - fist on the left connoting violence/rebellion and peace sign on the right showing freedom with kites coming from it. 

- Space invaders connoting the 80s

- Dictatorship Vs Love

- Binary opposition of colour

- Grass vs concrete rigid structure

- Consistent yellow font through both sides showing they are happy each side no matter of living standards, 

Distributor is 'Walter presents' 

Trailer:

- Song is 2 tribes by Frankie goes to Hollywood
- Ronald Reagan - speech, cold war
- Fast editing - action packed - high production value
- Enigma codes - 2 sides? Romance? Spy? running?
- East vs West = Violence 

Context of 80s Eastern Germany

- After the 2nd World War, Germany was divided into Eastern and Western Germany.
- As a result of this the Capital, Berlin was also divided into east and West.
- The West was very capitalist, modern, free owned by the Uk and Us whereas the East was communist under the ruling of the soviet union. The East was government controlled using the secret police, The Stasi.
- For the first 7 years after the split, people were allowed to travel between the borders which let many people in the east move to the west.
-In August 1961, the border closed splitting Berlin, splitting up families and an 87 mile concrete wall was build to divided the two sides, there were 176 watch towers making sure people didn't cross.
- There was a space between the wall called the death strip were people would be shot dead if entered.
- There were several checkpoints that people could cross between, mostly Uk and Us people. One was called Checkpoint Charlie used primarily by Americans.
- It stood for 26 years but in the 1980s many started to criticize the wall. In a speech from Ronald Reagan, the American President, he stated 'Tear down this wall!'
- This cause many Eastern Germans to protest resulting in them approaching the wall and destroying it by hand.

What was life like?

-  There was a lot of surveillance and most people lived double lives. They would do one thing at home in their privacy and something different when out in public. E.g. watch western Tv but not mention it outside of the house. 

- Poverty was also a big thing as people could only afford the bare essentials. Brands did not exist and the state created its own industry for nearly everything.

- People weren't allowed past the Berlin wall into the west so many tried to sneak into the country but many failed resulting in death. Others hid in cars from western visitors, dug under the wall, went through sewers etc. 

What did young people do for fun, like, listen to?

- Music was heavily censored as authorities reviewed lyrics for hints of dissent. Bands were only allowed to sing in German but the youth wanted to listen to bands from abroad so a black market developed of copies of western artists' music. 

- Many young people joined youth groups were they would come together to learn socialistic views and organise events for younger children. Others enjoyed going out to theatres and watching movies. 

What was education like?

- Instead of being taught English as it is a world language that is usually taught in schools across the world, students were taught Russian. 

- Many classes included socialism views which taught children basic etiquette and how to work together. For example, pioneer classes where each child would bring in something like show and tell which gave them the opportunity to talk to each other about their lives. 

Why was there so much tension and suspicion?

- Many east Germans were put under surveillance if the stasi thought that they were being rebellious by associating themselves with Western culture. 

- East Germany regarded the west as being run by old fascists and corrupted by big, international companies. They suspected the west to prepare for WW3. The west stated that the east deprived citizens of their human rights such as freedom of religion, speech and ability to leave the country. 

Why did people want to escape the East?

- The East was heavily run by the government which meant that people had a lack of freedom in how they lived their life. Everything was controlled, their social life, their work, what they said and what they did. People wanted to escape the East in order to have more freedom and the ability to express their views without being scared of being imprisoned or punished. 

Why did people like and respect the public?

- There was no unemployment as they didn't believe in the concept therefore there was no benefits and workers were afforded the safety of their jobs as they couldn't be fires unless they committed a serious offence. 

- They helped women in the workplace as they though the patriarchy was viewed as a symptom of capitalism. They implemented a strong foundation of laws to protect mothers and distribute childcare services. There was more equality as there was a smaller gender pay gap than in the West.

- They offered free health care, free places to kindergarten and school and had affordable housing.  

What was the relationship between the citizens and the government/stasi nearing the end of the cold war?

- The stasi, which was the largest network of secret police in history were able to infiltrate every facet of society and it is estimated that one in five adults in the country were directly connected to them.

-  Some citizens were happy in their living standards as there was benefits such as more quality, more work, free health care etc however a majority started to get rebellious as more people were being put under surveillance and being punished for the smallest things as the country was over-dictating. Therefore, this led to citizens tearing down the Berlin Wall by hand in order to get their freedom. 

How did they view the West?

- The West contained modern ideas with the allied countries of the Us and Uk. This meant they had popular culture such as western music, fashion and ideals. 

Stranger Things Essay #2

What meanings are created in the sequence you have studied and what do they tell us about narrative, character development and genre?  1000 words

Using appropriate technical terminology, and with some reflection on the meaning their use creates, you will annotate when we see different technical elements in the sequence. 

To complete this successfully you will need to:

As you play through the sequence, annotate when you see examples of different camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scène features. In your annotated analysis you must identify:

a.              which technical elements are used (using correct terminology)
b.             when they are used (give a time code)
c.              what meanings they create and what they tell us about the sequence in terms of:
       i.              plot development/narrative/genre
       ii.              the characters
       iii.              how we should respond to the sequence at that moment as a viewer.
      You must identify AT LEAST FOUR examples FROM EACH TECHNICAL AREA.

Your standard long form tv drama follows a set of conventions which entice an audience to continue watching through long periods of time. To do this, these dramas, like the one I have studied, continue many multi-stranded narrative structures which interlink and cross over bringing in many developed relatable characters to conjoin and help us follow the narrative easier. To keep audiences engaged and left wanting more without getting bored, the dramas include many plot twists, cliff hangers and lots of creativity when characters and themes change and develop to keep audiences invested in the programme. Stranger Things does this particularly using the 80s nostalgia using intertextuality whilst having engaging characters which are easy to relate to for younger audiences. 

Throughout the sequence I have studied, we see the fragmented narrative through the use of multiple parallel plot lines such as the boys looking for their friend Will, Nancy and Steve's relationship and Eleven's escape from the government. This structure of narrative helps create enigmas for the audience who have to figure out connections by piecing the story together and seeing how they all crossover eventually. This is answered slightly in the end of the sequence where we see two of the narratives crossover with the 3 shot of the boys looking for Will shining their torches into Eleven's face whilst she is running away from the government. Non-diegetic sci-fi music is added over the top of the scene which increases in volume as the scene closes suggesting that this is the end that it had=s been building up to therefore is an important part of the narrative. This cues the open ending of the episode leaving the audience with even more enigmas as they wonder how these two narratives crossover further in the future. This ensures greater audience engagement to the series as a whole. The sequence contains many features of a long form tv drama with the start showing an idealistic world between Benny and Eleven eating together looking happy but is quickly interrupted by a loud off screen diegetic knocking at the door creating a disruption in the narrative as this leads to Benny, who is represented as innocent and compassionate, being shot by the 'social worker,' leaving us shocked at the plot twist creating many unanswered questions which we hope to be answered as why would an innocent business owner be shot by a social worker. Later in the sequence, it is clear that the social worker is linked in with the government as we see Brenner, the lead antagonist, by her side. This is a clear sign of the disruption in the narrative which helps the audience engage more to the story. 

Stranger Things has a diverse range of characters within its omnipresent narrative, allowing us to watch the plot unfold through many points of view instead of us just following a single protagonist. This lets the audience empathise with certain characters which they find relatable. For example, the younger viewers may identify with Will or Eleven whilst older viewers may find Joyce more relatable. This allows a diverse following of the show with audiences watching the development of their favourite characters. Within the sequence we see many eye level shots with the younger characters connoting equality among them and the audience directly showing that we can relate to them as we follow the story. Teenagers are a main representation within Stranger Things showing two groups; the pre-teens (I.e. Mike's group) and the older teenagers (I.e. Nancy and Steve). We see the group of boys develop over the sequence as in the beginning they are portrayed as typical nerdy type boys playing dungeons and dragons but develop in the end to be brave. This is shown when they head out to look for their friend Will in the dark woods where we hear diegetic rain and thunder showing pathetic fallacy that danger might be ahead but the boys still walk in there. We also see a change in the older teens where we see in the beginning of the episode where Nancy is shown to be studious with her geeky friend Barb whilst Steve is portrayed as the stereotypical arrogant jock. Nearer the end we see a development as Steve is shown to be caring as he helps Nancy study but we see that Nancy has become rebellious as she gets distracted from studying to be intimate with Steve as we hear the contrapuntal song 'Africa by Toto' connoting the romantic mood with the pace of the shots  and jump cuts quickening as they get closer in proximity. This not only shows the development of the characters individually but their relationship as it blossoms in the sequence. 

Within the sequence, we see a mixture of many genres such as sci-fi, thriller, romance and family values. A reoccurring theme throughout is the 80s since that is when the tv drama is set. To begin with, when Benny answers the door to Connie, the social worker, we see a high angle from Benny's point of view looking down on Connie which could signify the patriarchy of the time period however, this is ironic as we soon find out that it is in fact Connie who has the most power as she is part of the government. We see many representations of the 80s cultural zeitgeist for example, the use of the choppers by the boys connotes freedom and youth. Also the yellow chorded phone within the Byers house which contrasts with the brown tones of the house represents the time era. Within the sequence, we see that the phone also shows the sci-fi genre of the programme as nearer the end we hear on screen diegetic sound of a supernatural being on the phone with Joyce followed by a sound effect of an electric bang when the phone cuts out which suggests that Will could be in danger. The use of many different genres means that the show can cater to many different tastes, therefore drawing in a variety of audiences. 

Overall, within the sequence I have studied, there are many examples instances of character, narrative and genre development which all contribute in making Stranger Things a very successful Long form Tv drama as it keeps audiences engaged through the ever-twisting multi stranded storyline, the stories of character development and the variety of genres catering many audiences. 

Tv Drama regulation homework

Analysis of final scenes

Camera

Frame - E.g. Close up
Angle - E.g. Birdseye 
Movement - E.g. Tracking

- High angle looking down on social worker  from Benny – Patriarchy
- Extreme close up on phone after it falls connoting extreme panic. 
- Most camera shots of the young people were eye level showing equality amongst us and directly with the audience
- Gun shot was long shot of Connie which cut to close up of Eleven. This shot demonstrates panic
- Level three shot of boys in woods with Mike in the front showing he is the leader
- Two mid shot of Jonathon and Joyce close on the sofa signifies closeness in relationship

Mise En Scene

Costume

Lighting

Acting

Make-up

Props 

Setting

- Byers’ house – dim lighting, brown clothes, 80s interior connoting poverty 

- Yellow phone contrasts and stands out showing it is important and for communication to Will.

- Benny’s diner is where Eleven seeks shelter - is a stereotypical suburban diner.

- Woods is dark and raining with thunder showing pathetic fallacy that something bad may happen.

- Nancy’s bedroom is stereotypical of a studious teenage girl in the 80s.

- Choppers, torches, shine Eleven’s, theme of light within the final scenes. 

Sound

Music

Contrapuntal

Diegetic/Non diegetic

Off screen/on screen

Voiceover

Emotion

Dialogue

- Off screen sound of pot wash in Benny’s diner to on screen of Benny washing 

- Off screen diegetic knocking showing disruption in the narrative and raises alarm 

- Diegetic dialogue ‘you don’t sound the same as you did on the phone’ shows suspicion 

- Non diegetic contrapuntal song commences as soon as Benny is shot – White Rabbit Jefferson – volume and pace increase as Eleven runs away emphasising the panic and the disruption.

- Non diegetic sci fi instrumental emphasises tension when the boys find Eleven 

- Joyce on the phone with on screen diegetic sound of mysterious creature/ potentially Will.

- Nancy’s room – Africa Toto is contrapuntal – romantic mood – 80s theme

Editing

Screen time

Transitions

Order of narrative

Pace 

Special effects

- Many jump cuts in Nancy's room showing the close proximity between her and Steve and intimacy.

- Pace of cuts increase when Connie shoots Benny connoting danger and panic. 

- Sound effect of electric bang when the phone cuts out showing that Will may be in danger. Sci fi. 

- Shot reverse shot during conversations between two people showing follow of dialogue. 

- Order of the narrative – multi stranded narrative underlines the LFTVD drama conventions. 

- Most scenes happen simultaneously except Eleven’s escape and discovery which links the characters at the end of the episode leaving on a cliff hanger for the next episode. 

Fandom

The term ‘fan’ is believed to come from the term ‘fanatic’ and refers to an audience member who has an intense enthusiasm and, often, an uncritical devotion to a product, person or activity.

There are many ways in which a fan of a long form TV drama can express their enthusiasm and interest for the show. Continuing developments in technology have enabled the distribution and sharing of fan-made materials and the development of fan made communities.

Fan-made Product 1: E.T. reference Poster

The maker of this poster is Will Varner, a fan of Stranger things, most likely an older fan. This product was found on buzzfeed and can be found online when typing in fan art of Stranger Things. The main features of this poster relates to the dramas intertextuality with E.T. and the comparison between the alien and Eleven. This is shown through the unity between the two characters by holding their hands together and it glows maybe portraying that they have powers. The poster also shows a link between the two through the use of the boys on bikes riding with the moon in the background which is a key scene from E.T. This suggests that the main appeal of the show is the intertextuality with 80s style films. This fan art particularly resembles the E.T. film poster especially since it has copied the set of the big moon

This piece of fan art shows a guide on how to hunt one of the monsters shown within the series including props that have been used throughout the season that would be recognizable. This has been drawn by Paolo Marcio, a fan of the drama. This suggests that one of the main appeals for the drama is the reference to demigorgans which is a direct reference to the game Dungeons and Dragons therefore the appeal would be the use of geek culture which would appeal to the nerdy, geeky audience. This poster also contains many icons from the series that were key when fighting the monsters as well as being recognisably related to the characters.

This piece of fan art focuses on the part of the story containing the upside down. This poster is by Joey Paur. The poster includes the boys and eleven in the real world with Will under them next to the emoji representing him saying 'holy sh**'

Netflix and technology

Stranger Things representation group task

Production...

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hPOdOLhCoMXUMpyvVQj5BqzCWgECtAtC1casZ3Nv6iQ/edit?usp=sharing 

Ownership...

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WcOZORCu8fFKySiAlzXFDJ8EZIe26SJyc9ijsDJm8p4/edit?usp=sharing 

Distribution...

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-1c6Ikuopbl7ItwvhWcHWAQfXHM3uzCAurdBLl_Wb08/edit?usp=sharing 

Circulation...

• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RDBwl4DcrSHPSEI3e_-kY4B-Kym7_Sv9t76ceN5_rHo/edit?usp=sharing

Stranger Things representation Essay

How are different social groups represented in the sequence you have analysed? What role does the use of media language, signs and signifiers have in constructing and presenting these representations as real?

Within the first episode of Stranger Things, there are a number of different social groups presented such as teenagers, mothers and the government. Some of these groups comply with stereotypical features whereas others portray themselves as countertypes as they don't fit the usual representation that we would expect to see.

A major social group that is presented within the first episode are teenagers. There are two groups of teenagers represented; the pre-teens (I.e. Mike's group) and the older teens (who go to high school). From the start of the episode, we see that the group of boys are typical nerdy type characters as they play the board game 'Dungeons and dragons,' a role playing game that includes quests, monsters etc. This signifies that they may not be the most popular kids at school as they would much rather stay in for long periods of time to play a board game rather than go out. Whilst playing the board game, we see how emersed they get themselves within the game by the slow moving panning extreme close ups of the boys facial expressions, completely concentrated in their role within the game. This representation is further shown with the boys knowledge of comic books, superheroes and sci-fi which are typically related to characters who are quite geeky. Stereotypically, a nerdy character is represented as quite weak and feeble however, the boys are portrayed as strong, confident and brave. Mike is portrayed as the leader of the group, making a majority of the decisions. For example, he is the game master, he is usually positioned in the front of the group when they go places (E.g. When looking for Will in the woods but find Eleven). Dustin is portrayed as confident as when faced with bullies, he stands up and defends himself. Will is also shown as brave when being chased by the monster, he goes straight to the shed to grab a shot gun to defend himself. All of these aspects of the storyline construct the representation that the boys are the protagonists of this story and will be at the forefront fighting the antagonists.

Another social group that we see a lot of throughout the first episode are the government and the police. Dr Brenner is the main portrayal we see of the government. When first meeting him, he is portrayed as quite mysterious, suspicious and authoritative. This is reinforced when he exits a car and the camera pans up slowly from his feet to his face therefore we slowly are introduced him but only see his face last. This also portrays him as quite important as it is a big introduction to him. There are also a number of low angle shots looking up to Dr Brenner representing his authority. Later in the episode we see that the government are portrayed as malicious and untrustworthy as we see that the kind caring social worker is actually from the government and kills Benny, an innocent humble man. We know that she is part of the government as we see Brenner walk in afterwards. They don't feel bad for murdering someone showing that they are villainous. The police force in the episode are portrayed as completely contrasting. To start with, they are portrayed as the stereotypical lazy cops who aren't good at their job. This is shown by their actions in the first scene, completely distracted by playing cards, dough nuts etc. Throughout the episode we start to see that Hopper, the representative of the police, is more caring and thoughtful that initially thought as we find out about his deceased daughter.

LFTVD Codes and Conventions

Name of Set Product = Stranger Things

How does the opening to the drama start?What can I see/ what can I hear? 

• The scene starts with a scientist running away from something with alarms in the background, flashing lights and panic. The scientist gets taken by presumably a monster.

Are title credits used? How are they integrated into the sequence? Can I see the Drama’s title, who produced and owns the drama?

• The title is introduced between the scenes presenting the makers etc. and the name is shown at the end of the title sequence finishing with ‘created by The Duffer brother.’

What and who are we introduced to? Characters, locations and settings? Are these recognisable? Do they feel ‘real’?

• We are introduced to the four main boys in an American Suburban town. They are playing Dungeons and Dragons therefore are nerdy characters. They are your typical geeks with typical families.

What themes are introduced? Family, friendship, love, money, revenge, community etc…?

• The theme of the supernatural is introduced as we see in the first scene where the scientist gets taken. Also Will is being chased by a monster figure resulting in him vanishing.

Is a story or plot set up in the opening episode? What do I understand is happening and how do I know?

• The opening episode introduces us to the characters, what they are like, their relationships etc. We begin seeing the stories unfold but are still unsure how they connect by the end of the episode. 

What does the drama look like? Frequent camera, editing, sound and mise-en-scène devices used?

• The drama is filled with many twists and turns, chases, supernatural features, plot twists. Such as the shooting of Benny, the search for Will etc. There is a lot of content crammed into just one episode. 

- The opening to my chosen long form TV drama begins with a scientist being chased by something which eventually takes him.
- The title credits used are Stranger Things: Chapter one – The vanishing of Will Byers.
- The characters introduced are Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Nancy, Hopper, Mike’s family, scientist, Joyce, Jonathan
- The locations and in my chosen drama are Hawkins Indiana, Suburban town, The department of energy, Suburban houses, woods
- The main themes introduced are the supernatural, teenagers, family, police, good vs bad, the 80s

- The most common uses of camerawork in the opening are slow pans to emphasize the action but also the mystery.
- Some of the typical editing devices used in my chosen drama include quick cuts which makes it more exciting to watch and scarier when there are jump scares.
- The use of mise-en-scene helps to gives us a sense of the time era (I.e. the 80s)
- The use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound helps to show the supernatural (E.g. the sound of the monster).

1.         How are the formal codes and conventions used in the set product to help the audience recognize the episode as a long form TV drama?

• The first episode of stranger Things opens up this new world and introduces many different narrative story line strands which aren't resolved fully by the end of the first episode meaning that as the series continues, we will get to follow it and see how it ends. By the end of the first episode we are left with enigmas meaning we want to find out more. We also are still unsure of how all the different strands connect and if they all link. 

2.         What are the main similarities and/or differences in the conventions used by the set product compared to other long form dramas? What reasons can you give for this?

• Similar to other long form dramas, we are introduced to the main characters that we will be following throughout the whole series. We are introduced to them straight away so that we can find one of them to connect with which will entice us to follow their journey through the series. 

3.         How does the set product contribute to changes or developments within the form? 

• In the very first episode of Stranger Things, we see many twists and turns within the story line which shocks us. For example, we don't expect Benny to get shot therefore we are shocked when he is because it isn't what we expect to happen. Throughout the episode we see the main characters begin to develop as they go through the initial emotions of loosing Will. Therefore we see the development of their relationship as they all get closer to help each other through the process of loosing Will. 

4.         What do you think is the appeal of this drama for audiences? How will it help to popularize (make popular) long form TV dramas with audiences?

• The main appeal of the drama is all of the references and intertextuality to 80s movies. We see the nostalgia and zeitgeist of the time through the characters and story lines. We also connect with characters on a deeper level as there is a variety of personalities so there is at least one character that the audience can connect with. The storylines are interesting and cause enigmas in the audiences making them intrigued in what will happen next. 

Representation in episode 1

Constructed realism - All media we see isn't realistic due to editing, CLAMPS, POV etc.
Dominant ideology - Everything is run by rich, white, christian, men - Western, capitalist, heterosexual, able-bodied.

All media products are 'Constructed' -

• They are made by a producer with a specific intention to create a certain meaning 
• Producer hopes intended target audience will interpret and accept the meaning unquestioningly. 

Producers use different elements/conventions of media language to construct these representations.
Producers of different LFTVD's may use different elements of media language to:

• Offer different representations
• communicate different ideas and viewpoints

Stranger Things main Representations:

• Don't trust who you are supposed to (I.e. the government)
• The two main narratives; Will disappears and Eleven 
• the supernatural - The fan, portal, monsters, scientists etc. 
• Binary oppositions - Old fashioned town with new sci-fi. 

Narrative timeline

The Narrative

What is Narrative?

- The Structure or chain of events in which a story is told.

- Narrative structure is carefully considered when writing the screenplay for a drama. 

- It is usually achieved through the editing of different shots together

Why is Narrative important?

- The narrative structure chosen directly affects how the audience experiences the story. 

- The way a 'story' is told can provide certain messages and values about who we see and what is being said about the character, groups of people or events represented in the drama.

- The narrative structure can affect the audience's involvement with and enjoyment of a drama. 

- The narrative structure used in LFTVD is considered to be complex, often multiple narrative strands and story lines being told at the same time. 

Narrative structure:

- Linear Narrative 

• Clear beginning, middle and end. 
• Follows a chronological time frame 
• Action A leads to Action B which leads to Action C etc. 

- Fragmented Narrative

• Also called Non-linear, disrupted or disjointed narrative. 
• No clear beginning, middle and end. 
• Out of chronological order
• helps show parallel stories, a story within a story, dreams etc. 
• Closely replicates the way human minds work
• Makes audience participate by piecing the story together. 

- Stranger Things is a fragmented narrative because right from the start, we witness multiple parallel plot lines such as the laboratory, Eleven and the boys. We also see a non-chronological narrative strand in the flashback to Joyce and Will's conversation at castle Byers. The fragmented narrative creates enigmas or questions for the audience, who have to work to figure out the connections, therefore ensuring greater audience engagement. 

Narrative types:

- Restricted Narrative 

• We experience the story through the senses and thoughts of just one character.
• Almost always the main character (The protagonist).
• The narrative cannot tell the audience things that the main character does not know, we find things out in the story at the same time as the character. 

- Omnipresent Narrative

• A panoramic, all seeing, view of the world of the story.
• Many Points of view, experiences and feelings. 
• This makes the audience see a broader background of the story. 

- Stranger Things has an omnipresent narrative which provides multiple gratifications for the audience - we can empathize and identify with the same characters, while gaining escapism and mystery from others. 

Narrative Endings:

- Closed endings

• TV dramas traditionally feature one character's story or point of view in an episode, which comes to a resolution at the end of the episode.
• The story can exist as one unique story in one episode.
• A story is unraveled before an audience and then ultimately is brought to a conclusion. 
• The following episode will feature a different story.

 - Open endings

• When an episode, or season, ends on a cliff-hanger. 
• A story-telling technique
• Open endings can be unsatisfying for audiences
• In LFTVD, open endings indicate there will be a continuation. 
• This encourages the viewer to continue watching the series. 

Theory:

- Todorov: The Equilibrium theory

• The idea that every story has the same pattern; (Narrative usually chronological & linear)

1. Equilibrium - Everything is good and happy
2. Disruption - A problem occurs
3. Recognition - The main character realizes the problem
4. Repair - The character begins to fix the situation 
5. New Equilibrium - The character has a new, better life. 

- Strauss: Binary Oppositions

• A narrative is told through showing the relationship that two opposites have together. 
• The narrative is about the conflict between the two (E.g. good VS bad) 

Stranger Things character Analysis

Representations:

- It goes 'Beyond the binary'
- Characters move beyond simply good or bad. E.g. Hopper and Steve are more complex although they aren't as main. Screen time is quite equal.
- Novelistic - multiple story lines and characters that stretch over a number of episodes & seasons
- May see flashbacks that explain their backgrounds
- Systemic change - isn't just focused on one individual
- 'Communities facing challenges and dealing with them by embracing or rejecting their own diversity' - Jeff Gomez.

Different representations...

• Teenagers
• Family life & relationships
• Mothers
• Absent fathers
• Police
• Government

Stranger Things Episode walk through

Stranger things intertextuality

The Duffer Brothers created Stranger Things as a homage to the 1980s, using many repeated scenes/ideas from 80s films.

E.t. The Extra-Terrestrial:

There are many links between Stranger Things and E.T. such as comparing eleven to the alien through the use of similar shots and comparison of storylines. For example, in stranger Things, they try and hide eleven from the government, similar to E.T, by trying to dress her up in a costume, the same as E.T. Both films are also from a child's point of view.

The Shining:

Stranger Things takes much influence from Stephen king and his stories. The shining has links such as the scene where Joyce uses an axe.

Stand By Me:

Stand by me is also from the kids perspective similar to stranger things. There are links between the two as they both go on adventures. 

The Goonies:

The goonies is also from the child's point of view and Dustin is also compared to one of the main characters from the goonies. 

Other Films include:

- Carrie
- Fire Starter
- Alien
- Close encounters of the third kind
- A nightmare on elm street
- Poltergeist

Stranger things intro

Overview

The series is set in 1983 surrounding the story of a group who kids searching for their missing friend. Along the way, they meet an unusual girl with supernatural powers. Throughout the series, they u unravel extraordinary mysteries surrounding their small town including government secrets, supernatural forces and Eleven, a girl with powers.

- The 1st season had 8 episodes, costing $6 million per episode.
- The show was created by the Duffer brothers (Twins). Ross and Matt (Born in the 90s)
- The show pays homage to E.T
- It debuted in July 2016
- represents 1980s nostalgia
- The shows resembles many other 80s films such as Gremlins, the Goonies, Ghostbuster etc.
- Winona Ryder, a famous 80s actress, plays Will's mother. This further links the show to the 80s
- The show increased in marketing through online buzz and fan artwork.
- It was also the little things in the background of scenes that referenced the 80s. E.g. Trapper Keeper
- When looking for a broadcaster/platform, the show was rejected by most mainstream.
- Netflix accepted as they were known as 'rebels' showing TV that was risky and different.
- The 1st series finished with unresolved issued meaning that they could be resolved in the 2nd series.
- Series 2 was set in 1984 and focused on the theme of video games whereas the first was boardgames
- The show references the work of Stephen Spielberg and Stephen King (Who liked the show)
- The show contained weaponized intertextuality due to fan service
- Stranger Things is a Pastiche (Opposite of parody)
- The character Eleven is compared to the characters E.T., Carrie and the girl from fire starter
- Creative misprison is used.

Poster: 

- With the amount of characters shown on the poster, it shows that there will be multiple storylines. This also suggests that they are the main characters so the audience will be seeing a lot of them and get to know them if they watch the series. 

- The characters at the top of the poster look scared and are positioned so that it looks like they are hiding behind another person. This suggests that maybe throughout the series, there may be something that may threaten them. 

- The use of the stars in the sky connote space and the sci fi genre. This shows that the series may contain some typical sci-fi conventions such as the supernatural, monsters etc. The night also connotes eeriness. 

- The character in the middle of the poster is shown to be slightly bigger showing that she may be significant throughout the series. This could also be connoted as she is positioned in the centre. The other characters are seen to surround her suggesting that they may be protecting her. This is reinforced by one of the characters holding a weapon - the baseball bat. 

- In the background of the poster is a ominous figure emerging from a gated area with a restricted sign on. This could show that he may be the antagonist/villain. 

- The title shown on the poster connotes a retro vine as it is written almost like a neon sign which could reference the 80s. This could suggest that the series may be set within this time period. This is reinforced by the clothing. The writing of the title also resembles that of a Stephen king film showing that there may be some intertextuality taken from some of his work. 

- The clothing, bikes and setting suggest that the series is set in America. This is reinforced by the man who is in a sheriff uniform. The fact that there is a sheriff may suggest there is crime within the series. 

- The 3 boys are positioned above the title meaning that they may feature as mains throughout. 

- Themes that are shown in the poster include facing adversity as they are all facing the same way, ready to fight. Also, the supernatural which could be suggested by the centre character holding her hand out in a way that she may control something. Friendship is shown the close proximity of all the characters.

- The narrative of the series could include binary opposition reinforced by the use of the two colours contrasting, red and blue. Also, the fact that there are many children included shows that the story may be from their point of view. 

- There is much intertextuality shown between the poster and ET with the use of the bikes and the moon. 

LFTVD - Long form TV drama

- 2 questions: 30 and 15 marks-

- Stranger Things and Deutschland 83 (Same time periods) - 

- Series with a long narrative - 

- A TV drama that has a number of episodes that helps create a narrative and tell a story to an audience.

Network Television: (E.g. NBC, CBS)

• US network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold market share. They are also controlled by federal regulation.
• The impact of this on content is a reliance on highly formalised genre conventions and normative values which meet mainstream audience expectations but generate conservative drama. 

Cable Television: 

• Launched in the 1970s, HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel. 
• Other major US players include FX, Showtime, & AMC. Many are subsidiaries of media conglomerates (HBO/Warner, FX/Fox)
• These subscription based cable channels can take more risks with content and form. 
• By early 2000s The Sopranos and The Wire won awards, audiences and created 'water cooler' TV.  

UK TV Drama:

• UK broadcasters have failed to meet the challenge of the US cable channels move to long form with their risk - taking content and style. 
• BBC and ITV 90s > relied on genre-based, formula drama.
• Sky co-opted success of US long form with Sky Atlantic
• Commissioning remains tightly controlled with a conservative outlook

Subscription VOD (Viewing on demand)

• Content viewing via a TV still dominates in the UK.
• 3/4 UK households have PVR (Personal video recording) uptake but it has plateaued 
• Use of timeshift is increasing (You can watch whenever)
• Growth of SVOD (Streaming video on demand). Web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Now TV is considerable. 
• Netflix dominates with 24% of UK market & 5 million subscribers. 10% growth 2015-16

Audiences:

• Rise in binge watching started with DVD in late 90s/early C21. Partially due to syndication problems in the UK.
• A move from 'Water cooler' to 'Shared universe' fandom (as with cinema)
• US long form drama often uses Easter eggs, and mid-season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain a media profile. 

Why audiences love LFTVD:

• High quality drama
• Multiple episodes, hours, years
• Content can be dark and difficult but innovative 
• It now attracts some of the best and innovative writers and actors
• Time shifting, easily accessible 
• Keeps people invested
• Lots of creativity 
• Characters and themes change and develop
• Lots of different networks compete
• The show can cater to specific taste

'State of Nation' TV

• LFTVD challenged the simplistic story lines and stereotypical characters that dominate network TV in US.
• CULTURAL ZEITGEIST

- Genres: LFTVD can fit into any (E.g. Comedy, horror, thriller, mystery, drama, crime, etc.)

- Themes: Also can fit into any (E.g, Relationships, murder, power, war, coming of age, family, etc)

- Narratives: Can have vast variety of all different worlds which are completely different to normality

- Characters: Relatable and interesting to watch. Engaging so they are watched over long period

- Production Values: Good ones usually range from 4 million to 5 million per episode. 

- Methods/Platforms: Either on Terrestrial TV, Cable TV, Subscriptions, Streaming 

- State of Nation: Escapist for the viewers, not usual to their everyday life.

- Memes/Accessories: These can determine how popular the series is with the youth.

TV Dramas need:

• Various locations
• Stock characters - complex, able to follow for a long period of time. 
• Multiple narratives
• 1 hour episodes
• Dramatic cliff hangers - usually at end of season/mid season breaks
• High production values 

Mock exam

Representation theory

Liesbet Van Zoonen

Bell Hooks

Judith Butler

Feminism:

- Started through Suffragette movement which fought for the vote for women. 

- First Wave - 19th and early 20th century UK & US - improved rights for women in marriage and property. 1918 = Women over 30 owning property could vote. 1928 = All women could vote. 

- Sex equality act was not passed until 1975.

- Second Wave - 1960s and 1970s - extended the fight beyond political rights to education, work and the home. In 'The Feminine Mystique' (1983), Betty Freiden argues women were restricted to role of housewife and mother, giving up on work and education. 

- Third Wave - 1990s to present - widened feminist movement to all women (Race, ethnicity, Class).

Laura Mulvey - 'The male gaze' 1975 - Majority of films are viewed from perspective of a heterosexual male. 

- Key words = Voyeurism (Practice of obtaining sexual gratification from observing others), Fetishism and Objectification (Degrading someone to object).

Todorov - Narratology

The idea that every story has the same pattern;

1) Equilibrium - Where everything is happy and good

2) Disruption - A problem occurs

3) Recognition - The main character realizes the problem

4) Repair - The character begins to fix the situation

5) New Equilibrium - The character has a new, better equilibrium - their life is better after the journey

Jean Baudrillard - Postmodernism

The idea that in a postmodern culture, the boundaries between the 'real' world and the world of the media have collapsed and that it is no longer possible to distinguish between reality and simulation.

The idea that in a postmodern age of simulacra we are immersed in a world of images which no longer refer to anything 'real.'

The idea that media images have come to seem more 'real' than the reality they supposedly represent (hyper reality).

Postmodernism = After modernism

Modernity was serious

Post-modernity has a sense of humor and irony

In media:

- Intertextuality is post modern

- Self-referential = Breaks the 4th wall

- Style over substance - looks good rather than has depth

- Fragmentation of time and space and personal identity and temporality = Future is bad.

- Copying, pastiche or homage - recreation 

- Irony

summer work

Task 1: Timeline of current affairs (2016/2017)

Task 2: Reflection of the Zeitgeist (2016 - 2018)

Task 3: Examples in the media of...

• Disability:

The Paralympics is publicised more and more each year showing pride in disabled athletes and encourages other disabled people that their disability doesn't define who they are and they can get involved within the sporting community. The last Paralympics was in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, which had 4342 athletes from 159 countries participate and the games was shown and is known worldwide. Leading up to the 2016 Paralympics, a trailer was released on channel 4 titled 'we're the superhumans.' The ad revolves around the idea that just because people have a disability, doesn't mean that they cannot do what people without a disability can. The song 'yes I can' is sung by a man in a wheelchair and the ad shows a range of different people with different disabilities doing not just sport but everyday things without any trouble. Many well known Paralympic athletes are shown within the video so that audiences see some familiar faces and also thee people are well known for competing in the Paralympics therefore can be seen as the face of the event. The video is a platform for inspiration to younger people with disabilities who may feel that they cannot do some things which is shown in the ad where a headteacher is telling a student in a wheelchair that 'he can't.' However in the next scene we see him (as an adult) playing Paralympic basketball showing that he can do it and the headteacher was wrong. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IocLkk3aYlk

Also, Tv  programmes, including soaps have had more coverage on disability, both physical, mental and emotional. This is shown through having characters that are relatable for people with disabilities. For example in Hollyoaks, a popular soap especially with younger audiences has included a character who is in a wheelchair named Courtney and recently has had a storyline relating to her having a baby and shows how she does not let her disability stop her looking after her baby. Coronation Street has also cast a character with down syndrome, EastEnders has cast a character in a wheelchair and all soaps tackle mental health issues in their storylines, especially more recently. 

• Regionalism:

In the UK, regions are defined through stereotypes created in the media, usually on Tv in shows such as TOWIE which shows the drama and party life in Essex which creates the stereotype that all people from Essex are dramatic and are dumb. Made in Chelsea shows the region of Chelsea which is to be 'posh' and shows the 'higher class.' Geordie Shore shows the party and wild lifestyle of people from Newcastle and portrays them as loud and a bit annoying. For people who do not live in these regions, it gives them a stereotypical representation of people who do live there. 

• Class:

There are many different tv programmes focussing on the class difference especially between ABC1 (higher classes who are wealthier) and working class. Shows like 'Rich kids go skint' focus on how people from the two lifestyles swap which shows the difficulty that children from higher classes find living in a working class environment off of a working class wage (minimum). Many Tv programmes targeted towards teens focus on problems within working class areas such as Netflix show, on my block which shows crime affecting teenage characters which is relatable to youth audiences who can connect with the storyline. Many crime shows usually show lower class/working class areas as being more chaotic as they include chavs (Council housed and violent) which are represented as thugs included in gangs and crime. This puts a negative representation on all young people who live in these areas such as London as it categorises all of them as to being dangerous. Aswell as portraying lower classes, many shows focus on how the rich and wealthy live showing how they spend their money, how they live etc. This can show the affect money can have on someone's lifestyle which usually shows children as being spoilt and privileged compared to working classes. 

Class is a very big topic when discussing music as many artists write previous stories and experiences within their lyrics based on how they have been treated and what they do within their daily lifestyle. Some celebrate their wealthy lifestyle whereas others put messages of injustice within the class system that should be changed. 

• Age:

There are many more shows and movies which include younger characters under 30 as this is the audience range that usually watch more tv and film. These include younger characters, more modern relatable topics and genres which appeal to younger generations such as horror, comedy and romance. There isn't much representations of older generations (over 50) in the media, many shows such as antiques roadshow and similar shows shown on the history channel tend to appeal more to these audiences. A modern tv show which showed an alternative representation of older people was called 'off their rockers' which showed over 60s play pranks on the general public using their age as humour which targeted all age audiences and became really popular in showing a positive representation which shows that older people can be modern too. 'The secret life of 4 year olds' shows the representation of he new generations of children showing what 4 year olds discuss with their friends and what activities they participate in. This show was good in seeing what younger children are interested in and how intelligent they actually are already as well as the humour side of the programme. 

• Gender:

Gender has become a big topic in the media especially the difference between how mean and women have been treated. Social media has become a big platform for people to show their support for victims of issues such as sexual assault. For example the #metoo campaign which has a link with the Harvey Weinstein case which hit Hollywood and started the movement of people who started to speak out about sexual harassment in the workplace or how, especially women get treated differently to men. There also been a rise in the media of showing transgender people who have transitioned from being one gender to another one. India Willoughby, a transgender women who is a famous newsreader appeared on the 2018 celebrity big brother (2nd January) where she became very unlikable and ended up being evicted first. She was on the series which only included women at the start showing women from all areas of living. India was put on the show to represent people who are transgender and to show the public that they should not be treated differently. This is a modern gender issue so this was a good platform to publicise the issue.

• Ethnicity:

Ethnicity has always been in the mass media with issues surrounding discrimination and segregation but recently there has been many examples in the media which have contributed to change in wider society. There have been two massive music videos released lately which include many messages surrounding culture and ethnicity issues; The Carters 'Apes**t' and 'This is America' by Childish Gambino. The carters' (Beyoncé and Jay z) music video contains many messages around how black people have been treated showing messages around French slave trade during the Napoleonic era by showing the artists performing in front of many paintings in The Louvre where it is shot. Childish Gambino's music video shows messages relating to race and gun violence throughout history which reflects modern society. The video contains many racial messages relating to Jim Crow, death, gun laws, republicans, suicide, US history, racial shootings and police brutality. Both videos contain 17 seconds of silence in the middle of both which could be for the Parkland shootings in show of respect. 

There have been recent movies and tv shows which all have a part in relating to the changes of wider society towards ethnicity. Black Panther, Get out and Dear white people are all included in this. Black Panther has virtually an all black cast and an African related storyline depicting the beauty of African culture. Get out is a horror film from the point of view of a black person which is uncommon in horror films according to the director of the film. Dear white people is a series on Netflix which shows the college life of black students which talks about the idea that discrimination towards black people is still common even though in media it is reported less and less in recent years. 

North Korea has been in the mass media more recently due to its threat towards the world with Kim Jong um in charge. His problem with Donald Trump has been publicly shown through twitter showing some immature comments towards each other mocking how each other rule. North Korea has been represented as militaristic and almost robot-like when videos have been showing of their marches. 

• Sexuality:

There have been more appearances from the LGBTQ... community in the mass media with more characters in movies, tv shows etc. showing that they are becoming more accepted in modern society thanks to support from the mass media. The official acronym in 2018 is LGBTQQICAPF2K+, stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, curious, Asexual, Agender, Ally, Pansexual, Polysexual, Friends and family, kink and other. Many tv shows have been released lately which celebrate the community and contain people from the community. Shows like Rupaul's drag race and queer eye are big tv shows which show people from the community. To relate with younger audiences such as teens, films like Love, Simon have been released for people who are struggling to come out so by creating this film showing an average teenager who does so, it gives a message to others to accept everyone and don't judge.  

 

3B Assessment - Advertisement, Big Issue, Music videos

BFI Notes

Long Form Tv Drama:

• Novelistic - Multiple storylines and characters that stretch over a number of episodes and seasons; range of complex characters and situations. 
• Cinematic - high quality writing, direction, acting, production design etc. 
• Ambitious themes that explore social issues - 'state of the nation' stories
• 'High concept' - unique central idea 
• Narratives often based around 'systemic change' not focused on one individual - communities facing challenges, and dealing with them by embracing (or rejecting) their own diversity.
• 'Flow' - One 'chapter' flows into the next... easy to 'binge watch' (encouraged by 'dumping' and 'box set' distribution) 

Favourite long form Tv dramas - Stranger Things, Orange is the new black, Santa Clarita diet

 - All on Netflix (American)

- popular culture - highly discussed - conversations about characters, plot, twists etc. 

Why is LFTVD beneficial for creatives?

- Creative Freedom (E.g. Netflix has very little editorial input once a show is commissioned)

- Commitment to story (Let writers be writers... "AMC: The home of story") - long running narrative, slow build, long-term consequences.

- No censorship - explicit sex, violence, language, adult themes.

- Complexity encouraged - intelligent audiences, topical issues, controversy

- Commercial Tv (Profits from adverts) avoid anything that might offend a wide audience - especially in USA. 

Why do institutions invest in LFTVD?

- Audience commitment - highly engaged

- Prestige programming - award winning; very important for subscription channels

- Controversial plots and issues make them 'water-cooler' topics - marketing spread by word of mouth

- Subscription Tv - guaranteed income, so able to take risks, invest in new projects. 

Case Study: Stranger Things 

Genre and audience pleasures:
- Deborah Knight: Satisfaction of having expectations fulfilled
- Steve Neale: "repetition and difference", enjoyment from the subtle deviations and innovations of what is expected.
- David Chandler: 'Interpretive community' - using tastes to create collective identity

- Stranger Things genres; Sci Fi, Thriller, Teen, Supernatural, Horror, Drama, Action
- Why would audiences like this - range of genres means more direction and depth in storyline so audience is more engaged as there could be more twists and turns.
- Why is this good for institutions - Large range of audiences who are into different genres in one programme means more interest so more need for larger series and higher amount of episodes leading to more subscriptions.

Ideology: representation of gender
- 'Avoid the binary'
- Drama is generated by subverting expectations (Connie Fraser, Social services - Stranger Things)
- In the scene where the social worker is introduced, she is initially presented as sweet and innocent which gets her into the building as the guy trusts her but this actually turns out that she shoots him in the back of the head when he turns. This creates emotional engagement with the audience as it avoids stereotyping.

Nostalgia: Sentimental or glamorised version of the past - Major attraction for many viewers.
Fears/worries/pressures that don't exist in Stranger Things: Parents, School stress, Technology