Just like our work on Capital, we need to know everything about Deutschland 83 - from textual analysis of key scenes to how it was funded, distributed and promoted. The notes from the lesson are here:
Historical context: The Cold War
The Cold War was a political dispute between the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union – Russia and 14 other states) and the Western Bloc (USA and NATO allies including the UK). It took place from 1947 to 1989.
There was never large-scale fighting between the two sides but on at least two occasions the world came close to a fully-nuclear World War 3.
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a symbol of the Cold War, constructed after the Berlin crisis of 1961.
It divided Communist-controlled East Berlin and NATO-supporting West Berlin. East Germans were not allowed to cross the border for a better life in the West – many were shot trying to climb over the wall.
The East German government eventually allowed people to freely cross the border on 9 November 1989.
1983: a critical year in the Cold War
The Cold War almost boiled over into nuclear war in 1983 when a NATO exercise called Able Archer caused some politicians in East Germany and the Soviet Union to believe the USA was planning a nuclear first-strike.
Deutschland 83 screening
We will watch the CSP episode - Season 1, Episode 1 - in class. It is also available here on the All4 website for streaming Channel 4 programmes.
Deutschland 83: case study blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to build a detailed case study for Deutschland 83. This will give you plenty of background information to use in an exam question. Remember, for this CSP the question could be on any of the key concepts: language, industries, audiences or representations.
Introduction: Reviews and features
Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in reviews.
2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
3) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
Behind the scenes clips
The All4 website has a range of clips from behind the scenes of Deutschland 83. Watch the following:
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
Watch this short promotional clip for Deutschland 83.
1) According to the clip, why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.
1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations
We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.
Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
- Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
- Audio codes – particularly music
- Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy
- Audience pleasures
Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
- Audio codes
- Audience pleasures
- Intertextuality
Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
- Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound
- Audience pleasures
You will do the majority of this textual analysis work in class - this section of your case study simply requires typing up your notes in an easy and memorable way (bullet points are fine).
Production and industry contexts
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around teh world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
Marketing and promotion
Trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
Press pack
Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here).
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
Press release
Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).
1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why is considered the most successful foreign language drama?
2) How does the news release describe the drama?
International marketing
Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).
1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
There is a lot of work here - allow at least three hours to get through everything. Remember: this is an in-depth CSP so you need to know every aspect in real detail. You'll get a chance to work on this in lessons but will need to finish for homework - due date confirmed by your coursework teacher.
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