TV Drama

Wednesday 6th Jan  

Lesson 1

Television: Industries and Audiences

LO:- to research the history, companies and regulators in the Television Industry

• Publicly Owned Television Channel - funded by government & licence fees for the public service
• Commercial Television Channel - funded through advertisements 
• Convergence - process of joining different technologies into one device
• Watershed - times when adult content (15+) can be shown. Between 9pm and 5.30am
• Segmented Market - audience divided into different groups based on tastes 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 any outside bodies
• Franchise - licence from company of a product to use format/show/ideas
• Channel-surfing - changing frequently from one program to another on a television, watching each one for only a short time
• PSB - Public Service Broadcasting; regulators demand channels fulfil certain requirements as part of their licence to broadcast 
• TV License - any household or business watching, recording live broadcasts require to pay a licence fee.  Funds the BBC
• Scheduling - deciding which shows to show at which times
• Conglomerate - a company that owns several smaller businesses whos products or services are usually very different

• When was TV introduced to the UK? September 1929
• In 1965, how many channels were there in the UK and what were they? There were three, BBC1, ITV and BBC2
• When did ITV start? Why was it different? 22nd September 1955, was first commercial channel
• Which UK channels have to follow PSB remits? Channel4, Channel 5, BBC
• Who regulates TV now? Ofcom
• Who regulated TV channels in the 1960's? Often, ITA, Broadcasting Standards Commission 
• List the differences between TV in the 60's and now: There were only 3 channels in the 1960s, No colour until 1967 and even then was not very good quality and was expensive, TV would start later, after midday

In the 1960's TV was very different to nowadays. There were only three channels, BBC, BBC2 and ITV. Television sets were small and bad quality compared to today, and they didn't have colour until 1967, and even then they were expensive and bad quality. Channels were only broadcasted at certain times of the day, so for much of the day there would be no TV. TV was also regulated by different people in the 1960's, different channels would be regulated differently, like ITV was regulated by the ITA and the BBC was self-regulating.

Lesson 2

Ownership and Regulation

LO: - to explore the ownership and regulation of BBC1 and ITV

• Ofcom regulates TV and radio broadcasting in the UK, setting standards for programmes that broadcasters have to follow. 
• Ofcom can fine broadcasters if their programmes do not follow their Broadcasting Code.
• They carry out regular reviews to check that the channels are following their requirements

REMIT: an area of responsibility or authority 

TERRESTRAIL: broadcasters using equipment on the ground rather than satellites

• In the UK the term 'public service broadcasting' refers to broadcasting that is intended for public benefit, not purely for commercial concerns 
• In the UK, the BBC is the main PSB channel and has a strict REMIT to follow
• Other TERRESTRIAL channels have to follow a PSB remits but not as strictly as the BBC

Mission, Vision and Values

• Mission is to act in the public interest, serving all audiences throught the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain
• Value that trust is the foundation of the BBC, they're independent, impartial and honest 
• Put audiences at the heart of everything they do
• Respect each other and celebrate their diversity 
• Take pride in delivering quality and value for money
• Creativity is the lifeblood of BBC
• "We're one BBC, great things happen when we work together"

Public Purposes

• Because they are funded by the public, the BBC has to meet the PSB REMIT in terms of the genre variety, audiences, representation and quality of the content they present
• To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them
• To support learning of people of all ages
• To show the most creative, highest quality and distinctive output and services
• To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all the UKs nations and regions
• To reflect the UK, its culture and values to the world

The License Fee

• 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 of the license fee
• If you watch or listen to any BBC programmes on any media platfotm, including tablets and smartphones  it is a criminal offence not to pay the license fee. This also applies to watching BBC iPlayer

For:

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

Against:

• Outdated scheme
• Should be pay-per-view/subscription
• Still has government influence as they set the level

Commercial Channels

• Commercial channels are funded through advertising 
• ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are commercially funded channels that still have to follow some PSB requirements 
• C4 is commercially funded but publicly owned, this means that any profits made through advertisements go straight to new programmes and not to shareholders
• Subscription based channels have no PSB requirements 
• As commercial channels have no guaranteed income, it is essential they are profitable. They generate profit by:

Subscription 

 Pay - per - view  

 Sponsorship  

 Advertising 

 Product placement 

ITV:

•  By the 1950's many thought of the BBC as snobbish and associated with oppressive class culture
• 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
• Part of PSB remit it to:

Broadcast items of national importance 

Produce a variety of programmes for a wide audience 

 Produce accessible content

 The Duopoly in the 1960's

How might this competition and control have positive outcomes? What negative effects might this have?

Some positive outcomes would be that the channels would have full control over all their content, meaning there are no external pressures that might cause the quality to decrease. Competition would result in better content as they both try to be the best. 

Some negative outcomes might be that it would be difficult for voices outside the business to be heard. 

Also, their ideas would be subject to political pressure. 

Monday 18th January 2021

Lesson 3

TV Audiences

LO:- to explore how audiences consume TV dramas and the appeals

How audiences can access TV programmes today:

• TVs
• Streaming apps on devices like mobile phones
• Online

THEORY: The Active Audience

• This focuses on debates as to whether an audience is ACTIVE or PASSIVE
• A PASSIVE AUDIENCE accepts and believes anything a media text tells them. They are easily influences and don't question any messages conveyed.
• An ACTIVE AUDIENCE interacts with a media text and makes its own decisions about whether to accept and believe anything. They question messages and may interpret meanings differently. 

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

As there are more channels, there is more competition as to what someone would watch and more opportunity for channel surfing. There are also different platforms available to view content, to it can reach a wider audience. The opportunity for second screening and to discuss the TV show on various social media live is another reason why audiences are more active now than in the 1960's. Broadcasters increase their commitment and loyalty to the programmes and channs by making the programmes more interactive and letting the audience vote to change the outcome. Due to a wider variety of messages, viewers can interpret meanings differently and make their own decisions about whether to accept and believe anything.

According to BARB.co.uk, the BBC got better audience ratings last week.

What would you expect from a TV drama that's broadcast before the watershed compared to after?

You would expect that TV dramas broadcast before the watershed would not contain any unsuitable material, whereas a TV drama broadcast after the watershed would contain unsuitable material.

Serial TV Drama

Serial TV dramas are dramas organised into seasons, while TV dramas are one-off. Serial dramas have plots that unfold episode-by-episode and complex narratives and characters that evolve over the season. 

Set Texts

The Avengers ITV-1965

CUFFS BBC1-2015

Wednesday 20th January 2021

Lesson 4

The 1960s

LO: - research the social, historical and political context of The Avengers

Context - Exam will be graded on knowledge of the social, cultural and historical factors that influenced the narrative, characters, props, sound and themes of the popular 1960s show The Avengers

What do you know about the 1960s?

• New fashion
• Differences in culture
• Social advances
• Celebrating self-expression

Where do your impressions come from?

• Films/media
• '60s style'

What had been happening in the UK during the 1940s/1950s?

• UK recovering from WW2
• UK strongly effected by the war

Life in the 1960s:

• 'swinging London'
• social rebels
• Youth fighting against society
• Girls in careers, mathematics, editing, girls working normalised
• 'youth talks to youth'
• New fashion, paper dresses
• 'a new generation making mistakes, while desperately trying to find an identity'
• Trying to be individual and unique
• 'A Psychedelic Dream' 
• Dance clubs

Key moments from 1961 - 1965:

• 1961- yearly inflation rate 2.9%
• 1961- Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
• 1961- The Beatles play their first gig
• 1961- 101 Dalmatians no1 hit film
• 1961- Espionage, Soviet spies arrested
• 1961 - 1965- Vietnam War still on
• 1961 - 1965- Threat of Nuclear War
• 1961 - 1965- Espionage 
• 1961 - 1965- Civil rights movements
• 1961 - 1965- Drug use increases, number of heroin addicts increases, illegal drug use part of 60s culture according to media at the time
• 1962- Cuban Missile crisis
• 1963- President John F Kennedy assassinated
• 1964 - 1970-  Harold Wilson Labour Party Prime Minister
• 1965- concerns over the Cold War
• 1960s- UK Protests against Nuclear weapons

• Who were the most famous bands? How was this music different to previous decades?

The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin 

 This music was different to previous decades in the way most of 60s culture was different to previous decades, it was new and youthful, it was a lot louder and less reserved and conservative. The 60s was a time of social revolution which was reflected into revolution in music, as many artists felt like they could express themselves and make new and modern music.

• Which Political party was in power 1965? Who was PM?

Labour Party was in power in 1965, and the Prime minister was Harold Wilson

• Were illegal drugs, according to the media, a big part of culture?

Yes, in the 60s Drug use increased as did the number of heroin addicts

• What scientific development changed women's lives?

Not sure

• What significant historic events happened?

Cuban Missile Crisis, assassination of John F Kennedy, concerns over cold war, threat of nuclear war

• What wars were being fought around the world?

Vietnam War, The Cold War, The Indo-Pakistani War, Arab-Israeli conflict, The Algerian War, The Nigeria Civil War

• What were people protesting about in the UK?

The use of Nuclear Weapons

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

Racism and sexism were prevalent in the 60s, life would be much harder for women and people of different races in the 60s compared to now

Key Contextual Areas:

• Concerns over the Cold War:

1965, Cold War at it's height, Britain was part of NATO - a group of 12 western countries that agreed to support each other in the face of a soviet attack.

Soviet Union formed a pact with seven other communist countries, dividing Europe into two armed sides.

• 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 when two countries took the world to the brink of nuclear war

• Espionage:

Both side in the Cold was used espionage as a way to find out what the other side was doing and to plant false information

A number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the 1960s and either defected or were imprisoned

Due to this, espionage was a common theme in films and TV programmes

Lesson 5

Monday 1st February

The Avengers (1965)

LO: - research the TV show the Avengers

• Which institution (Channel) produced the show? The American Broadcasting Company
• Who was the primary and secondary audience? The age rating was PG, people interested in spy and espionage themed film, people of both genders, maybe in the 60's it would be mainly males watching
• When did the first episode air? 7 January 1961
• How many seasons were made? Six
• What date/year was the last episode aired? 21st May 1969
• What was the budget for Series 4? £2 Million 

Q8) The fourth series was different to the third due to a £2 million deal with ABC. It was shot on film. What did this mean in terms of: locations, production values, editing, camerawork and sound?

Q9) Who were the stars of Series 4 Episode 1: The Town of No Return? 

Q10) ITV was seen as the working class channel, compared to BBC's middle class. How did The Avengers compare, in terms of the representation of rising youth culture, compared to the BBC's flagship drama: The Forsyte Saga?

Lesson 6

Wednesday 3rd February

The Avengers: The Town Of No Return

LO: - to explore the narrative, characters and appeal of Series 4, Episode 1

Narrative:

• Two main characters investigate a village while undercover
• They find many things suspicious, no one there, people acting strange
• They find dead body of man they met on train
• They discover that everyone is being replaced in a grand scheme to invade England quietly

Characters:

• 
  

Social and Cultural Context:

• 
  

Audience Appeal:

• This program would have appealed to audiences at the time, as espionage and spy films were a popular genre in the 60's, due to the fear of espionage from enemy countries.

Personal Identity-

- Audience may identify with characters, such as Emma Peel, in the 60's being equal to the man

- Audience could identify with personal values

Information

- Audience may be interested in the world of espionage

Entertainment

- Wacky and entertaining plots

- Escapism

- Familiar, repetitive narratives

Social Interaction

- Could talk to friends about latest episode

- Could watch episodes in groups, friends/family

Genre:

• 
  

Camerawork and Editing:

Mise-en-scene:

Characters:

Wednesday 10th February 2021

Lesson 7

CONTEXT - The Avengers: The Town Of No Return

LO: - to analyse the influence of social and historical contexts in Series 4, Episode 1

Major Concerns at the time:

• Cold War
• Threat of Nuclear War
• Threat of foreign invasion
• Espionage

Influences from TV from 1965:

• The Ipcress File: Unglamorous spy film starring Micheal Caine as a British agent - the British agent, like Steed from The Avengers
• Thunderball: fourth James Bond film - many similarities between James Bond and The Avengers, gentleman spy, villains
• The Spy Who Came In From The Cold: Cold War spy film - the Cold War influenced all TV shows in the 60's
• The War Game: fiction film on the effects of a nuclear attack on Britain
• It Happened Here: fiction film about occupation of Britain by the Nazis - same idea of Britain being occupied
• The Man From U.N.C.L.E: American spy thriller TV series - 

The Cold War & Espionage:

• Alerts 1965 audience to familiar themes linked to spying: disguise and impersonation
• Does this during the opening sequence, when a fisherman is not shocked by the arrival of a man in a waterproof bag arriving from sea and instead directs him to Lower Bazely
• The opening sequence symbolises the theme of the episode, which is the attempted invasion of Britain.

Reassuring The Audience:

• The show reassures the audience that, while the threat existed, the enemy was not efficient enough to succeed
• All the villains are stereotypical suspicious people and villains, for example 'Piggy' does not come across as particularly refined or intelligent. 
• The use of comedy to 'make fun of' and ridicule the villains reassures the audience that they are not efficient enough to succeed
• A good example is the scene where Emma Peel explains the planned invasion to Steed on the blackboard. whilst he sits behind a child's desk
• This is given very little screen time, Steed's position adds humour: they both have a cool, calm response.
• All this helps to undermine the seriousness of the threat and reassures the audience that the threat is not as serious as the threat in the early years of WW2, and that the country is safe with agents like Steed and peel.
• Another good example is the scene where 

Technique:          |Example:

References to       The scene where Steed walks around the deserted airfield and doffs his hat to his reflection

Humour  

Melodrama

Casting &

Performance

Commitment

to duty

Representation

of the enemy

Monday 22nd February 2021

Lesson 8

Wednesday 24th February 2021

Lesson 9

Monday 8th March 2021

Conventions of Police Drama

Police Dramas:

• Brooklyn 99
• Death in Paradise
• Grimm
• Agatha Raisin
• Elementary
• The Mentalist
• Line of Duty
• Midsomer Murders
• Sherlock
• Miss Marple

Conventions of a Police Drama:

• Narrative centred around a detective solving a crime/chasing a criminal
• An investigation involving red herrings and clues
• The criminal's identity exposed at the end of the episode
• Normally the protagonist detective has an assistant or 'sidekick' who helps them solve the crime
• Normally set in police stations in a town or city
• Always a crime that needs to be solved
• Normally a gruesome body is discovered
• Stereotypically male-oriented 
• Murders, robberies, kidnapping
• Harsh upbringing or tragic backstory protagonist
• Provide endless information

Brooklyn 99:

• Comedic/parody of police shows
• Main character detective Jake Peralta
• American police drama
• Diverse cast, range of characters
• Strong narratives, believable villains
• Good relationships between characters
• Main character childish, ironically a lover of police dramas, doesn't wear uniform
• LGBT characters e.g. Captain Holt and Rosa Diaz

Death in Paradise:

• Set in the Caribbean 
• Changes main characters every few

Wednesday 10th March
TV Drama Analysis Lesson

Brooklyn 99

Media Language:

• The show has a very bright colour pallet, shown mainly in the title text and the intro
• Colour pallet conveys a light hearted genre, being a comedy
• Almost a parody of other police dramas
• Narrative focuses mainly on social relationships and drama than the crimes, however there is the typical police drama structure of a crime investigation the protagonist detective solves

Representations:

• Represents a wide variety of audiences
• Representation of multiple ethnicities and sexualities
• Has male and female characters, not so male-oriented

Audiences:

• Appeals to a wide variety of audiences, mainly people of both genders aged around 15-45
• 
  

Industry:

• The production company is Fremulon

Social Context:

Political Context:

Historical Context:

Cultural Context:

Wednesday  17th March

Lesson 12

Cuffs  Series 1, Episode  1

LO: - to analyse the narratives and characters constructed in an opening episode

Main characters:

• PC Ryan Draper
• PC Jake Vickers
• DS Jo Moffat
• Chief Super Robert Vickers
• PC Lino Moretti
• PC Donna Prager
• DI Felix Kane
• DC Carl Hawkins

Storylines: episodic and individual/overarching:

• Murder - criminal got caught
• Kidnapping
• Shows the social relationships, friends and colleagues  
• Helped a suicidal drug addict, took him to hospital, who later hung himself

Setting:

• Set in a seaside city/town
• Realistic

Overall tone/appeal:

• Shows a grim reality
• Serious

How Characters are Represented:

PC Ryan Draper:

• Shown as an experienced policeman, good at his job
• Good at talking to people and communication
• Has worked hard
• Dislikes working with Jake
• Has an impeccable record as a policeman

PC Jake Vickers:

• Presented as new and unexperienced
• Shown as reliant on his father
• First portrayed in a negative light, from another persons perspective
• Shown as empathetic, good at communication
• Messed up on a police car chase and lost criminals
• Caught a murderer
• Gay - LGBT representation

DS Jo Moffat:

• Hardworking
• She was working on a murder and her witness was refusing to be interviewed
• Strong, in charge
• Having an affair

Chief Super Robert Vickers:

• Father of one of the main characters, Jake Vickers
• Coldhearted, favouring his son

PC Lino Moretti:

• Doesn't take himself seriously
• Liked by his colleagues 
• Dedicated to work

PC Donna Prager:

• Has no seen weakness
• Capable and dependable

DI Felix Kane:

• Pursues a man who has kidnapped a child
• Reserved

DC Carl Hawkins:

• Humorous
• Independent, determined

U&G:

Personal Identity:

• A wide range of characters to identify with
• Characters to see as role models
• Can empathise with the polices difficult job and the hardships they face
• A gay protagonist who is not defined by their sexuality

Information:

• Information about the police and criminal world
• Social Realism - a style of drama that is grounded in the contemporary world in terms of setting, characters and social  issues, often portraying social injustice.

Entertainment

• Can escape into a fictional world of danger and drama
• Watch for entertainment 

Social Interaction:

Can discuss ad watch with other people

• Can be a common interest

Monday 22nd March

Cuffs Series 1:Episode 1

LO: - to annotate the narratives and characters constructed in the opening episode

Ryan: Hardworking, experienced, has high morals - when he saw his son out of school he told him off in front of his friends and told him to go back to school

Jake: Naive, inexperienced, eager to work - ran in impulsively

Jo: Strong, in-charge, having an affair, successful - she tells people what to do

Robert: Coldhearted, favours his son, having an affair - cold to both his wife and his mistress

Lino: Doesn't take himself seriously, dedicated, comedic relief, lightens the mood

Donna: Capable, dependable, overbearing, confident

Felix: Reserved, humble - doesn't brag about him solving a crime, quiet

Carl: Determined, stubborn, optimistic

Uses and Gratifications

The audience may identify with the idea of feeling inadequate and not good enough. For example, Jake is starting a new job and doesn't feel qualified, for example, when he is in a car chase with Ryan and panics and gives the wrong location to set a trap, causing them to lose criminals. However, they end up finding another criminal and this helps them catch him. The audience can relate to starting something new and messing up.

Mental Health and Drug Abuse - poor care and lack of funding for mental health in NHS and medical services. Suicidal drug addict not taken care of well enough, ends up committing suicide.

Fast-paced and dangerous situation. Fight scenes, e.g. when Jake punches a racist man who stabbed someone in a shop, and the other people are fighting in a house.

Provides social interaction, you can watch show with people, you can use it as a conversation. I want to know how the affair goes, and whether they get caught. I am shocked about 

Wednesday 24th March

Cuffs & Social Contexts

LO: - to analyse representation and influence of social and cultural context in Cuffs

Representation:

• Characters: Rowdy British men fighting on a beach dressed up as Vikings
• Props: fake Viking helmets and football t-shirts
• Character Interaction: A bunch of men fighting at a beach, policeman has to break them up
• Dialogue: Contradicting dialogue, serious voice-over about how dangerous being a police officer is and how they face serious and dangerous situations while a bunch of men fight comiacally on a beach with a police officer trying to break them up
• Stereotypes: Stereotypical British football lads

Changing Attitudes: Gender

• Stronger roles for women reflect gender equality - a woman in charge (Jo), strong woman with seemingly little to no weaknesses (Donna)
• A change in attitude towards masculinity. Different male roles presented in a positive light. - 
• Traditional 'masculine' and 'feminine' qualities no longer reserved for particular genders - 

Women's Roles and Representation:

• DS Jo Moffat - Has an important role 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 - 
• PC Misha Baig - 

Men's Roles and Representation:

• PC Jake Vickers - 
• Chief Super Robert 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 - 

Ryan Draper and Masculinity

• He has power: is respected by his peers and trusted to mentor Jake- Traditionally masculine
• He is gentle with members of the public: like the drug addict - Traditionally Feminine
• He is determined and focused during the car chase - traditionally masculine
• He responds with courage and determination to the ram - traditionally masculine
• He is emotional when he gets angry with Jake - traditionally feminine
• He is a caring single parent, takes on maternal roles - Traditionally feminine

Cuffs: Masculinity

• Robert Vickers - Type: authoritative, Patriarchal - Stereotypical
• Jake Vickers - Type:  - anti-stereotypical
• Lino Moretti - Type: Humorous, Dedicated - anti-stereotypical
• Carl Hawkins - Type: -
• Felix Kane - Type: - 

Changing Attitudes: Sexuality:

• Increased visibility - Jake Vickers, a gay protagonist, 
• Jake Vickers' characters challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being an issue or problem - 

Changing Attitudes: Multiculturalism:

• Positive view of multiculturalism reflects 2015 attitudes:
• Differences in ethnicity are accepted:
• Racism still exists in Britain:
• Racist group presented negatively:
• The powerful anti-racist message reflects society attitudes in 2015

Wednesday 31st March

The Avengers: The Town Of No Return

Watching The Avengers: The Town of No Return

LO: - to explore the narrative, characters and appeal of Series 4, episode 1

The Narrative:

• Equilibrium, Disruption, Recognition, Repair The Damage, Equilibrium 
• Equilibrium - when they first go to Little Baisley
• Disruption - mystery, suspicious people, a man is murdered and is found dead by Steed and Peel
• A chase scene when a man is being hunted by a man with his dogs, footsteps are found on the beach leading to the sea, Peel finds a dying man, Emma Peel is caught by the villains 
• Recognition - The main characters start to suspect from the beginning, as the reason they even visited the town was to investigate, then they discover the truth about the town and about the invasion on Britain
• Repair the Damage - John Steed and Emma Peel

The Characters:

• John Steed - stereotypical
• Emma Peel - stereotypical
• The Vicar - stereotypical
• 'Piggy" - stereotypical

Social and Cultural Context:

• Strong female character - for the 1960s at least
• Still stereotypical main male character with female sidekick
• Many 60's spy series, a popular genre

Audience Appeal:

• How corporations saw the rural towns - they are seen as very close communities, seen as 
• Audience can follow an ordinary main character
• Easy to follow simple storyline, familiar and comfortable and predictable
• Audience can identify with a female character
• Informs the audience about the world of espionage and spies, and about higher-class people such as Steed and Peel
• Audience can be entertained by this 
• Social interaction, can watch TV with other people, can use it as a topic in conversation
• Could empathise with the characters, cool and tough Emma Peel, 'english gent' John Steed 

Personal Identity:

• John Steed, 'English gent', someone who fought in world war 2, traditional James Bond character, reliable, strong, dependent
• Reminds people who fought in WW2 as steed fought
• Those who know somebody who fought in WW2
• Emma Peel, married, has a career, strong, independent, powerful, aspiration to the audience. New generation

Information:

• Gain information about the world of upper class, the world of espionage/spies, and highly capable agents protecting Britain

Entertainment:

• Could enjoy the escapist plots
• Easy to follow simple storyline, familiar, repetitive

Social Interaction:

• Family event, everyone sat down and watched together
• Could discuss

Monday 19th April

Analysing an Extract

LO: - to analyse the use of media language on a TV Drama extract

Key Terminology:

Camerawork

• Establishing shots - sets up or establishes the context for a scene, shows the relationship between its important figures and objects. Can help set up a point of view
• Low angle shot - a shot positioned low, looking up, makes subject look mighty
• High angle shot - looking down on the subject
• Canted angle shot - sets the camera up at a tilted angle
• Aerial shot -
• Camera Movement: tracking, steadicam, crane shots - 
• Hand-held camera
• Point-of-view shots
• Shallow focus and focus pulls

Editing

• Shot/reverse shot - a technique where one character is shown looking at another character, and then the other charater is shown looking back a the first
• Juxtaposition - placing two objects side by side
• Non-continuity editing - continuity is broken
• Crosscutting - two or more scenes happening simultaneously
• Fast-paced editing -
• Transitions: dissolve, wipe, fade - 
• Post-production effects - 

Soundtrack

• Soundtrack - the recorded sound element of a film
• Music - a recurrent melody in a film
• Diegetic/non-diegetic sound - 
• Sound effects -
• Sound bridge - when sound carries over a visual transition in a film
• Voiceover - 
• Parallel sound - 
• Contrapuntal sound - 

Mise en scene

• High key and low key lighting - 
• location/set - 
• costume and make-up - 
• Props - 
• casting and performance style - 
• blocking (the composition of elements within the shot) - 

How has sound been used to create meaning?

• Non-diegetic theme music to build mystery, upbeat and modern sounding, serious undertones, creates mystery       
• non-diegetic sinister music to build tension on idyllic beach setting, suggests mystery, needs investigation
• Ambient sounds of seagulls, waves and beach sounds match setting, juxtaposed with the non-diegetic sounds that add tension and mystery
• Dialogue discuss directions and the weather, juxtaposes the absurd opening scene of someone walking out of the ocean and asking for directions, shows lightheartedness
• Diegetic sounds added to add realism, footsteps, putting up the umbrella
• Music fades to highlight dialogue and the ironic situation
• specific detail, effect, terminology
• accurate terminology, explain how media language was used, examples, the effect of media language, social context of 60's

Sound has been used in this extract to create meaning. Firstly, the theme music is used to reflect show the TV drama's genre by using sounds that create mystery, and are upbeat and modern to suggest more lighthearted tones. This creates a mysterious effect. This reflects the popular genre of espionage and mystery during the 60's, due to the increasing threat of war and russian spies.

Ambient sounds of seagulls and waves at the beach emphasise and matches the ordinary beach setting. The juxtaposition of the sinister non-diegetic sounds build tension and suspense

Sound is used to create meaning through the juxtaposition of dialogue and the scene. A classic 'british gentleman' emerges from the ocean in a waterproof bag, and asks a fisherman for directions to the village. The absurdity of the situation is emphasises by the ordinary

Wednesday 21st April 2021

Theme music  in the title credit is upbeat and modern but has a serious mysterious tone to suggest a younger, dynamic tone and pace

• Sound has been  used in the extract to create meaning,  the first example of this is:
• Theme music in the title credit is upbeat and modern but ha s a serious mysterious tone. This use of sound suggests that the episode will be aimed at a younger dynamic audience, through the use of fast pace and tone in the theme music.
• Parallel sound - both the image and the music reflect the tone of the episode
• Context - reflects the younger generation - their individuality and increase in choices
• In the 1960s we would expect the younger and older generation to come together to watch the episode. This means that the Theme music is used to attract a younger audience.
• U&G - social interaction with family, personal identity

How has sound been used to create meaning?

Ambient sounds of seagulls, waves and beach scene match location and emphasises setting. Juxtaposed with the non-diegetic sound that builds tension and mystery to the setting

Sound has been used in this extract to create meaning, the first example of this is the ambient sounds of seagulls, waves and beach scene match location and emphasises setting. Juxtaposed with the non-diegetic sound that builds tension and mystery to the setting. This use of sound suggests that the genre and tone of the episode will be related to mystery and espionage, both popular genres in the 60's due to the looming threat of Russian spies and war. The juxtaposition of the seagulls and music highlights the juxtaposition of an ordinary beach setting and the mysterious tone. This would appeal to both the older and younger generations in the 60's, however mostly to the younger audience with their increasing freedoms and 

Key Contextual Areas:

• Concerns over the Cold War
• Threat of Nuclear War
• Threat of foreign invasion
• Espionage

Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.  [10]

In The Avengers, one example of social context is the threat of foreign invasion. This is shown in the episode through the multiple references to war and invasion, such as the scene where Emma Peel is explaining the method of invasion the enemy is using to John Steed, who is comically sitting at a primary school sized chair and desk. The use of props such as the undersized desk and the stereotypical teachers pointing stick reflects a comedic and lighthearted side to the episode and invasion, this, along with the characters confidence, acts to reassure 

Wednesday 28th April

Context - The Avengers: The Town Of No Return

LO: - to analyse representation and influence of social and cultural context in Series 4, Episode 1

How was gender represented in episode 1?

• Character Emma Peel - strong, capable and dependable, intelligent
• Character John Steed - Stereotypical 60's british gent, male stereotype for an englishman
• Emma Peel and John Steed interact, both listen to each other and consider each other's opinions
• Setting of Little Baisley, mostly male populated, one other female character, the headmistress of the primary school
• Emma Peel goes against a lot of female stereotypes in the 60's, drives often, has a career

How was Gender used to show the attitudes and values of the 1960's?

• Media Language: camera, sound, mise en scene, editing
• Representation: how is it presented
• Audience: how does it attract? Who are they?
• Industries: Who makes this? When is it on?
• Contexts: what is it like at the time

1960's values and attitudes

• Female roles and inequality
• Class structure
• Changing views on sexuality
• British manners/traditions
• Attitudes to outsiders/foreigners
• Patriarchal society
• Stereotypical ideas of rural life

Emma Peel can be seen as a new breed tough and intelligent women. We see this in the bunker when she fights off the enemy and emerges victorious. We also see her as intelligent when she figures out the invasion scheme and explains it to John Steed. Emma Peel is also seen as a sex object, for example in the scene at the inn where the owner makes inappropriate jokes with Steed. We see 

Identify key moments from episode 1 where Emma Peel is represented as either an anti-stereotype or a reactionary stereotype.

Anti-stereotype - Overpowers Steed in the fencing match, fights enemies in the bunker rather than acting as a victim, explains invasion scheme to Steed and seen as the smart one

Reactionary stereotype - ordered by Steed to leave immediately for a mission,  

A combination of both stereotypes to change the ideas of the audience while also making her acceptable to the audience

Changing Attitudes: Sexuality

 Emma Peel known as Mrs Peel is acceptable to the audience as she is married, assumed to be heterosexual. It is acceptable to the conservative audience of the 60's

Camerawork:

• Close-up of doorbell/name
• Mid-shot

Mise-en-scene:

• Leather suit and fencing gear Emma Peel is wearing. overtly sexualised
• Stereotypical fashionable clothes on train, not sexualised 
• Appeals to audience
• Steed pouring tea and serving her on the train, offers her marzipan delight and she refuses
• Modern flat fashionable and independent
• Writes for science weekly - intelligence
• She overpowered him, he win due to 'dirty tricks' to appeal to audience and stereotypes

Editing:

• Mainly continuity editing, story flows

Sound:

• Steed 'giving advice' about Emma Peel's fencing
• Non-diegetic romantic music at beginning with Steed, suggest romance
• Already has bought tickets, she goes along with him

Media Language: Female roles and inequality - Peel dressed in a catsuit, overpowers Steed in fencing match. Women having increasing power in society 

How was gender represented in the Avengers to reflect the attitude and values of the 1960's?

In the Avengers women are represented as the anti-stereotype of having increasing power in society. We see this in the opening scene, where Emma Peel overpowers Steed whilst fencing, and we see this during the dialogue when Steed asks her if she has anything to do, and she replies telling him she wrote an article for Science weekly. This represents women as strong, intelligent and independent. This is an anti-stereotype for women in the 1960's, as during the 1960s women are seen as weak, and the 'inferior gender'. However, women are also represented as weaker than men, as John Steed does beat her in the fencing match in the end. This reactionary stereotype is used to show how Emma Peel is not entirely an anti-stereotype of women in the 1960's, this makes her acceptable to the 1960' audience as they believed men were stronger than women.

In the Avengers women are over-sexualised and represented as objects. We see this in the opening scene where Emma Peel is shown as wearing a tight black leather catsuit, an overtly over-sexualised piece of clothing. This use of mise-en-scene is an example of an anti-stereotype, and represents the changing views on womens sexuality, however, it also in a way is a reactionary stereotype as women are viewed as objects. On the other hand, women are also represented as typical 1960's female stereotypes when Emma Peel wears the 'normal' fashionable 60's clothes for women, which are not sexualised at all. This reactionary stereotype shows another side to Emma Peel, in which she is shown as acceptable to a 60's audience, which may have more conservative views on how women should dress.

Wednesday 5th May

Exam Preparation

LO: - to review the exam format and possible question types

TV Unit - Paper 1: Television and Promoting Media

1 - Media Language [5] 

• at least two examples
• 5 marks, 5 mins
• sound
• editing
• camerawork
• mise en scene
• Example: How has sound been used to create meaning?  [5]
• How were you made to feel at different points in the scene? How did the sound techniques create these different feelings and atmospheres
• A calm and warm atmosphere in the cafe - dialogue, friendly conversation and quiet atmosphere, relaxed background music
• A intense car chase - police sirens, shouting and dramatic non-diegetic music to create tension
• Robbery takes place - sound of glass crashing, car driving, dialogue of shouting, non-diegetic music

2 - Media Language and Representation [10]

• 10 marks. 10 mins
• Three specific examples
• Example: Analyse how far the extract from Cuffs depicts the police's point of view rather than the criminals point of view
• Who do the viewers spend the most time with? Who does the director want us to feel sympathy for? How has the extract done this? (techniques)
• Viewers spend more time with the police, the director wants us to feel sympathy for the police by positioning the viewer with the police, showing us their point of view. Close ups and mid close ups are used to show the facial expressions of the police. Criminals costumes seem stereotypical and don't reveal their identities so the viewer creates no attachment to them or empathy for them. Criminals seen from perspective of the police in the chasing car. The viewers don't totally take the position of the police as they are positioned as a third party during the precinct scene.

3 - Long Essay Based Question  [15]

• 15 mark, 15 mins
• Three examples
• Example: How far does the extract try to create a sense that it is portraying real life?
• Analyse aspects of the extract, giving detailed examples. Judge how far these aspects create a sense of watching 'real life'
• How mise-en-scene is used to make us believe that we are watching real life? Which other elements of media language could we also consider?
• Officers dressed in police uniforms, natural lighting and setting
• realistic radio music
• realistic generic dialogue
• continuity editing suggests real life
• normal town, ordinary people, then the drama of the robbery
• Out of the ordinary robbery
• CCTV shot used to create realism as it is believable and realistic
• Cross cutting between cafe and action scene, parallel narratives is realistic as it shows their ordinary complex lives
• Camera in the police car, behind the characters to make it more realistic, they are realistic police as they use the ordinary police car
• An exaggerated stereotype of the criminals creates a sense of unrealistic drama, criminals dialogue used to show their stereotype
• birds eye view used to create a sense of location and context to make the scene more believable
• sounds associated with police, sirens and radio
• Police, criminals and general public stereotypes

4 - TV Industry and audiences

• 5 marks, 5 minutes
• Two main points/paragraphs
• May ask you about TV industry and audiences in general
• Scheduling
• Regulation
• PSB
• Technology
• Audience appeals (U&G)
• Describe what is meant by public service broadcasting (PSB). Use the BBC as an example in your answer.
• Paid for by the people, TV License
• BBC no adverts as it doesn't
• Inform, educate and entertain

5 - Contexts [10]

• 10 marks, 10 minutes
• Influence of social context
• Influence of political context
• Differences between 1965 and 2015
• Effects of context on programming
• Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.
• Social contexts of 1965
• How this is shown in the Avengers episode
• Write a detailed description of ONE context with a sophisticated explanation of its influence and lots of examples or an effective description of a number of social contexts with an explanation of its influence and example for each
• Emma Peel represents change in society and the equality of women
• Steed represents the older generation and the male dominated society