Film Industry: Assessment learner response

The Film Industry assessment was another good opportunity to consolidate our knowledge and learn how A Level Media exam questions are structured.

As ever, the first part of your learner response is to look carefully at your mark, grade and comments from your teacher. If anything doesn't make sense, ask your teacher - that's why we're here! 

Your learner response is as follows:

Create a new blog post called 'Film Industry assessment learner response' and complete the following tasks:

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the number of marks you achieved for the three questions: _/3; _/6; _/9. If you didn't achieve full marks in a question, write a bullet point on what you may have missed.

3) For Question 2 on the promotion of Blinded By The Light, use the mark scheme to identify at least one strategy used to promote the film that you didn't mention in your answer and why it was used. The key lesson from this question was to make specific reference to the CSP in your answer and ensure each explanation was different.

4) Now look at Question 3 - focusing on Hesmondhalgh's point that making media products is a 'risky business'. Write three bullet points from the mark scheme that you could have added to your answer. Try and include a specific reference to the CSP where you can and ensure you understand the key contexts to Hesmondhalgh's quote. Additional reference to Hesmondhalgh's ideas would help here too - you may want to look back at our work on Hesmondhalgh and the Cultural Industries.

Complete your learner response for homework - due date on Google Classroom.

Advertising: Introduction to advertising

Our new topic is Advertising and Marketing and to start with we're going to look at how producers use narrative and persuasive techniques in advertising.

For example, you will need to be able to apply the four narrative theories we have studied previously to advertising texts (possibly an unseen text). You may also need to analyse persuasive techniques in unseen texts too.

Narrative theories: a reminder

You can find the original lesson notes on narrative here. To summarise each theory in a word or phrase:

• Todorov – Equilibrium
• Propp – Familiar character types
• Barthes – Enigma and action codes
• Levi-Strauss – Binary opposition

Narrative in advertising: Jonah Sachs

American writer Jonah Sachs has highlighted the importance of storytelling in advertising and marketing:

“The story wars are all around us. They are the struggle to be heard in a world of media noise and clamour. Today, most brand messages and mass appeals for causes are drowned out before they even reach us. But a few consistently break through the din, using the only tool that has ever moved minds and changed behaviour – great stories.”

Narrative in advertising: examples

There are a huge number of examples of adverts that use narrative. This marketing blogpost highlights 12 examples (including some we looked at in the lesson).

Airbnb: Breaking Down Walls




Persuasive techniques

Advertisements are generally trying to persuade their target audience to:

• Buy a product or service
• Believe something or act in a certain way
• Agree with a point of view

There are many persuasive techniques used in advertising. A selection include:

• Slogan – a catchy phrase or statement
• Repetition – constant reference to product name
• Bandwagon – everyone is buying it
• Testimonial/association – e.g. celebrity endorsement
• Emotional appeal – designed to create strong feelings
• Expert opinion – ‘4 out of 5 dentists…’

Examples:

• Slogan – Just Do It
• Repetition – Go Compare
• Bandwagon – Maybelline ‘America’s favourite mascara’
• Testimonial/association – Nespresso / George Clooney
• Emotional appeal – WaterAid ‘Dig toilets not graves’
• Expert opinion – Max Factor ‘The make-up of make-up artists’

Case study: Marmite

Marmite has a long history of unusual advertising based around the idea ‘You either love it or you hate it’. How many of the persuasive techniques can you spot in these adverts?







Introduction to advertising: blog tasks

Create a new blog post called 'Advertising: Introduction to advertising blog tasks'. Read ‘Marketing Marmite in the Postmodern age’ in MM54  (p62). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. You may also want to re-watch the Marmite Gene Project advert above.

Answer the following questions on your blog:

1) How does the Marmite Gene Project advert use narrative? Apply some narrative theories here.

2) What persuasive techniques are used by the Marmite advert?

3) Focusing specifically on the Media Magazine article, what does John Berger suggest about advertising in ‘Ways of Seeing’?

4) What is it psychologists refer to as referencing? Which persuasive techniques could you link this idea to?

5) How has Marmite marketing used intertextuality? Which of the persuasive techniques we’ve learned can this be linked to?

6) What is the difference between popular culture and high culture? How does Marmite play on this?

7) Why does Marmite position the audience as ‘enlightened, superior, knowing insiders’?

8) What examples does the writer provide of why Marmite advertising is a good example of postmodernism?

A/A* extension task

Read the marketing blog linked above on narrative in advertising. Which campaigns are particularly impressive in your opinion? How do they use narrative to connect with their audience?

Complete for homework - due date on Google Classroom.

MIGRAIN: Final index

We have now completed our mammoth MIGRAIN Introduction to Media unit. You've covered a huge amount of work since September and now have a grounding in all the key concepts of A Level Media - well done! 

We now need to update our MIGRAIN blog index (we last did this at Christmas) with all the work we've done since. As you know, it is important we are revising terminology and theory on an ongoing basis and making sure there are no gaps as the course continues. The vast majority of the course will be tested in an exam situation and there could easily be a question on a specific theory or aspect of media terminology that we've covered in the last three half-terms. If you have missed any lessons or blog tasks this will significantly disadvantage you. 

MIGRAIN Final index

Keeping an index of all your work is extremely good practice from a revision perspective. Not only does this keep the concepts and media terminology fresh in your mind but it will also highlight if you've missed anything. Your final index should include the following:

1) Introduction to Media: 10 questions
2) Semiotics blog tasks
3) Language: Reading an image - media codes

4) Media consumption audit

5) Reception theory - advert analyses
6) Genre: Factsheets and genre study questions
7) Narrative: Factsheet questions

8) Audience: classification - psychographics presentation notes

9) October assessment learner response
10) Audience theory 1 - Hypodermic needle/Two-step flow/U&G
11) Audience theory 2 - The effects debate - Bandura, Cohen 
12) Industries: Ownership and Control
13) Industries: Hesmondhalgh - The Cultural Industries

14) Industries: Public Service Broadcasting

15) Industries: Regulation

16) Representation: Introduction to Representation
17) Representation: Feminism - Everyday Sexism & Fourth Wave MM article

18) January assessment learner response
19) Representation: Feminist theory
20) Representing ourselves: Identity in the online age - MM article & Factsheet
21) Ideology: BBC Question Time analysis and MM articles 

You'll have done some of this index already - a quick time-saving tip is to copy the HTML from your original index blogpost and paste it in your new index blogpost. This will give you most of the links and you can add to it from there. If you simply add to your previous index, make sure you change the date to today (use the 'Schedule' tab on the right-hand menu to do this). 

Remember, this is your index, so the text should link to your corresponding blogpost so you can access your work on each key concept quickly and easily. This also means you if you have missed anything you can now catch up with the work/notes and won't underperform in future assessments due to gaps in your knowledge.

MIGRAIN final assessment

You'll have a short assessment next week on the MIGRAIN introduction to Media unit. Use this index as the basis for your revision for your assessment. Your teacher will confirm the exact date of the assessment.

Due date: on Google Classroom (including any missing work the index has highlighted)

MIGRAIN: Ideology

The media's role in setting and reinforcing the dominant values and ideologies within society is a vital aspect of A Level Media Studies. 

The key notes from today's lesson on ideology and binary opposition:

Ideology

What is an ideology?
An ideology is a world view, a system of values, attitudes and beliefs which an individual, group or society holds to be true or important; these are shared by a culture or society about how that society should function.

Dominant ideologies

Ideologies that are told to us repeatedly by important social institutions such as the government or media are called dominant ideologies.

Dominant ideologies are ideologies or beliefs that we live by in our day-to-day lives and often do not question – they have become 'natural, common sense' things to do. This effectively dissuades people from rebelling against these beliefs, and keeps a sense of stability in society.

Why is ideology important in Media Studies?

Media texts always reflect certain values or ideologies though sometimes we may not be aware of this. When studying a media text you may look for the dominant ideology present and question whose world view is represented and perhaps which groups have not been represented.

Levi-Strauss: cultural codes

Claude Levi-Strauss (1908-2009) was a French philosopher and one of the most important cultural theorists of the 20th century.

He viewed culture as a system of codes through which we exchange messages. These cultural codes tend to reflect the dominant values and ideologies in society.   

Binary opposition

Levi-Strauss's theory of binary opposition is important for media students.

Levi-Strauss suggested everyone thinks of the world around them in terms of binary opposites such as up and down, life and death etc. and therefore every culture can be understood in these terms. 

Binary opposition in media

Binary opposition is used to create narrative and conflict in media. It is also used to simplify complex situations for easy consumption (e.g. TV news).

Along similar lines, if something is not easily reduced to binary opposites, it is far less likely to receive widespread media coverage.

Binary oppositions can be used to create stereotypes and promote certain ideologies or beliefs. Therefore we can find these cultural codes in all kinds of representations and stereotypes.

Blog tasks: Ideology

Part 1: BBC Question Time analysis

Watch this clip from BBC Question Time with Russell Brand and Nigel Farage. The BBC deliberately placed the two against each other and the episode resulted in far more people than usual watching and reacting on social media.

1) What examples of binary opposition can you suggest from watching this clip?

2) What ideologies are on display in this clip?

Embed the video into your blog (as above) and answer these two questions in full paragraphs.


Part 2: Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine issue 52 has two good articles on Ideology. You need to read those articles (our Media Magazine archive is here) and complete a few short tasks linked to them. 

Page 34: The World Of Mockingjay: Ideology, Dystopia And Propaganda

1) Read the article and summarise it in one sentence.

2) What view of capitalist ideology is presented in the Hunger Games films?

3) What do the Hunger Games films suggest about the power of the media to shape and influence ideological beliefs?


Page 48: They Live - Understanding Ideology

1) What are the four accepted ideological beliefs in western societies highlighted by the article?

2) What does Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggest about power and ideology in society?

3) What does French theorist Louis Althusser suggest about ideology and consumerism?

4) Do YOU agree with the idea behind They Live - that we are unthinkingly controlled by the media which is run in the interests of the economic elite? These are the big questions of A Level Media!

Due date: on Google Classroom

TV: Capital case study

Our first television close-study product is BBC state-of-the-nation drama Capital. 

We need to know everything about the programme - from textual analysis of key scenes to how it was funded, distributed and promoted on the BBC and around the world. The key notes from the lesson are here: 

Novel adaptation

• Capital is a BBC TV drama series adapted from 2012 book by John Lanchester.
• The book was set in 2007-8 either side of the financial crisis but the TV drama updates it to 2015 and changes the location slightly (Clapham to Balham). 

Capital: a state-of-the-nation drama

• Capital is a ‘state-of-the-nation’ drama – designed to capture the issues facing the country at the time it is written and produced.
• In Capital, it focuses on the economy and the financial crash, immigration, London’s housing market and the incredible mix of people in a city of 8.5 million.

Reviews
Reviews of the Capital TV series drew attention to the state-of-the-nation aspect of the drama:

• Ben Lawrence in the Telegraph wrote: Capital shows “an eternal London, riven by inequality and quickened by diversity”.
• Ben Dowell in the Radio Times: “It shows Londoners trying to work out very real problems… there is a fierce intelligence at work here, a script which asks some very interesting and important questions but doesn’t force the answers down your throat.”

London 2009-15 

• Following the global financial crash in 2007-8, London was not expected to quickly recover economically. 
• However, house prices soared with some properties almost doubling in price in five years. By September 2015, the average London house price was £531,000.
• Traditionally working-class neighbourhoods in London suddenly had houses worth £1m+.

London: immigration

The Oxford University Migration Observatory published a report in 2011 regarding migration to London. Key quotes:

• “One in three London residents was born abroad, and a quarter of these migrants arrived since 2006. Nearly a half of the UK’s migrants live in London.”
• “London’s population is characterised by rapid flux. Area stability – the proportion of a neighbourhood’s population remaining in place over time – is far lower in London than the rest of the UK.”
• “Some of the most deprived migrants in the country reside in London, and some of the most privileged too… vulnerable migrants in London include asylum-seekers with subsistence-only support.”

Capital screening

You can watch all three episodes of Capital using our school's copy via Google Drive here. You'll need your Greenford Google login to access this. 

Capital: Case study blog tasks

Work through the following tasks to build a detailed case study for Capital. 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.

Reviews and features

Read the following review and feature on Capital:

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?


Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for Capital:



1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

2) How does the trailer introduce the different narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

Capital in Media Magazine

Issue 83 of Media Magazine has a feature exploring Capital as a media product. Read ‘We Want What You Have’ in MM83  (p10). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the 'state of the nation' genre and how Capital is an example of this?

2) What does the article suggest regarding the setting of Capital?

3) What are the major themes in Capital and what does the article suggest regarding the impact of money on communities?

4) What different representations in Capital are discussed in the article?

5) What does the final section of the article suggest regarding genre and overall message of the drama?  

Capital Media Factsheet

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #194 on Capital (BBC TV Drama). 

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does the factsheet say about the characters on the first page?

2) Focusing on the industrial contexts, how does Capital help the BBC meet its obligations as a public service broadcaster?

3) What do we learn about the ownership structure for production company Kudos? 

4) How can David Hesmondhalgh's ideas in The Cultural Industries be linked to Capital and Kudos? 

5) How does the factsheet suggest Capital meets the genre conventions of crime and social realism?

6) How does the factsheet analyse the DVD packaging and what this communicates to the audience?

7) Look at page 5 of the factsheet. Choose one of the audience theories in the table and apply it to Capital.

8) What does the factsheet suggest regarding binary oppositions in Capital?  

Representations: close-textual analysis

Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and asylum seekers to capitalism and inequality. You need to be able to confidently discuss these issues in the context of 2015 London - with reference to key scenes from episode 1. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, capitalism, aging and more.

These notes from a lesson analysing these clips will help with this element of the case study. You'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document.

1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc. Feel free to use bullet points for each scene - a summary of your notes is fine.

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Industries and production context

Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos? What changes of ownership have there been for Kudos? This is an example of conglomerate ownership.

2) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced and for which channels? What awards have they won?


Due date: on Google Classroom

Grade A/A* extension - further reading on marketing and promotion

We strongly recommend you read the full BBC Press Pack for Capital.

1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?

2) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?

3) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?

4) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?

5) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain? 

6) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?

MIGRAIN: Representing ourselves - identity in the online age

Our final topic in our introduction to representation is collective identity: the sense of belonging to a group and how this influences the way we represent ourselves.

This is something the media has a huge influence over - everything from advertising to social media profiles can affect our sense of identity and where we fit in. Indeed, the representations we see in the media can have a huge impact on how we fit into society and the world around us. We need to learn some key theories and also consider the impact of new and digital technology on issues of collective identity and representation.

Notes and key theories

Collective identity

Collective identity is the shared sense of belonging to a group. In Media Studies, we need to consider the influence media has over a person’s sense of identity.

This is closely linked to representation as the way groups are portrayed in the media can influence our sense of identity and belonging.

Collective identity: theories

David Gauntlett - identity

Think back to last week's work on David Gauntlett. He believes that audiences actively use the media  to construct their identities and that the explosion of digital media means this is beginning to move away from traditional stereotypes. A major part of that is the sense of belonging to a group - collective identity - which the internet has made far easier.

Marxism and the Frankfurt School

Marxists believe identity is constructed through hegemony imposed by the ruling elite. A sense of individual identity is a myth that prevents people challenging powerful groups.

This links to the Frankfurt School, a group of influential Marxists who viewed media audiences as passive vessels. They believe the media is used to control and manipulate people.

Example: Apple branding

Apple’s early branding suggested individuality and creative freedom... But in fact it was always a massive profit-seeking corporation looking to sell as widely as possible.

Later, iPhone adverts subtly suggested a certain lifestyle that has become synonymous with Apple products. Everything suggests creative possibility and individual opportunity but Marxists would argue this merely hides the fact we are being manipulated by a faceless corporation into handing Apple huge amounts of money (why is an iPhone so much more expensive than an Android phone for example?) 

Daniel Chandler: CAGE

Daniel Chandler suggested the acronym CAGE, stating our identity is constructed through class, age, gender and ethnicity. 

Does this still apply in the 21st century? Do we construct our own identities along these lines? Is representation in the media still dominated by these classifications? Think about your own presence on social media and the media products we have studied so far - such as Blinded By The Light.

Stuart Hall: media construction

Stuart Hall suggests the media actively constructs our society rather than reflecting it back. 

Our identity is part of this and therefore any sense of individuality we may feel is actually constructed through the media we engage with.

Constructing our own identities

New technology has changed the way we see ourselves and others. Through social media we can construct representations of ourselves.

Example: Instagram/Snapchat

• How did you choose your profile pic?
• What does your profile say?
• Who do you follow?
• How much do you consider what others will think of you when posting/liking/sharing?

Does social media have a positive influence over our identity? Or is it corrosive? Simon Sinek's interview on the millennial generation went viral when it was first released and is worth watching again for the section on social media, technology and how it influences our sense of identity:

Shared identity online

New technology has created the opportunity for people to form groups online that represent their shared identity. 

Think about the work we have done recently on feminism and online activism - blogs, forums, social media accounts and whole campaigns and movements (#everydaysexism) have given audiences a new sense of collective identity. In America and increasingly worldwide, the #blacklivesmatter movement is doing this with racism and police brutality.

Social media can empower individuals and create a strong sense of belonging – media theorist Sherry Turkle famously described the internet as a place to be "alone together".

Collective identity in the 21st Century

So, collective identity doesn’t just refer to representations in mainstream media.

It also refers to self-constructed identity by users of social media and communities formed online of shared identity (e.g. Feminism).

Collective identity and representing ourselves: blog tasks

Task 1: Media Magazine article

Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.

Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

2) List three brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?


Task 2: Media Magazine cartoon

Now read the cartoon in MM62 (p36) that summarises David Gauntlett’s theories of identity. Write five simple bullet points summarising what you have learned from the cartoon about Gauntlett's theories of identity.

Task 3: Representation & Identity: Factsheet blog task

Finally, use our brilliant Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) to find Media Factsheet #72 on Collective Identity. The Factsheet archive is available online here - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions to complete our introductory work on collective identity:

1) What is collective identity? Write your own definition in as close to 50 words as possible.

2) Complete the task on the factsheet (page 1) - write a list of as many things as you can think of that represent Britain. What do they have in common? Have you represented the whole of Britain or just one aspect/viewpoint?

3) How does James May's Top Toys offer a nostalgic representation of Britain?

4) How has new technology changed collective identity?

5) What phrase does David Gauntlett (2008) use to describe this new focus on identity? 

6) How does the Shaun of the Dead Facebook group provide an example of Henry Jenkins' theory of interpretive communities online?

Due date: on Google Classroom

TV: Introduction to TV Drama

Our TV Drama CSPs are BBC 'state of the nation' drama Capital and critically acclaimed German cold war spy thriller Deutschland 83. 

We need to make sure we are experts in television drama for this major section of Media Paper 2 - conventions, media language, notable successes and historical context.

TV Drama: key notes

Television drama is a hugely popular genre and a staple across schedules and streaming services. ‘Binge-watching’ is a relatively recent phenomenon while other dramas have built hugely loyal fanbases (e.g. Doctor Who, Game of Thrones).

There are many sub-genres and hybrid genres in TV drama from the costume drama to the hospital drama. 

Setting

TV dramas tend to take place in recognisable settings with regular locations that characters can inhabit.

Most dramas are defined by their location and the iconography (mise-en-scene) is vital for communicating the sub-genre and narrative expectations to the audience.

Even science-fiction family dramas such as Doctor Who feature regular settings such as the Tardis.


Character

Most TV dramas have a large ensemble cast – a range of characters. These characters are often stereotypical – communicating a lot to the audience quickly.

Often recognisable and relatable – giving audiences the pleasure of identification and an ongoing ‘relationship’: we keep watching to find out what happens to them. 

Characters often reflect the sub-genre (think police, hospital or period costume drama stock characters).


Narrative 

Most TV dramas have multi-strand narratives telling a range of interconnected storylines. An overall narrative arc often goes over the whole season or series. Others feature episodic narratives with storylines resolved in one episode. Flashbacks can also feature.

Many TV dramas now employ a ‘cold opening’ – the opening scene taking place before credits/titles – designed to create enigma and draw the audience in. Ultimately, it is the sub-genre of the TV drama that will help set narrative expectations for the audience.

Note: If you missed the initial lesson on TV Drama, we analysed some TV drama opening scenes to explore how the setting, character and narrative is established using technical codes (e.g. camerawork/editing/mise-en-scene) and audio codes (dialogue/voiceover/diegetic and non-diegetic sound). 

Introduction to TV Drama: Blog tasks

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #164 on Television Serial Drama. 

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions to show your comprehensive knowledge of the television drama genre:

1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition.

2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the factsheet. How has the genre evolved over time?

3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV drama to fit each category.

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)

6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.

7) What is a cold opening?

8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?

9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?

10) How have subscription channels (such as HBO) and streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) changed the form and content of TV dramas?

11) Choose a TV drama and do your own analysis of it using the SETTING / CHARACTERS / NARRATIVE / FORM headings as featured on page 3 of the factsheet.

12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?


A/A* extension task: TV Drama v Film

Building on question 12 above, read this fascinating extended article comparing TV drama to film. It will also help to bridge the gap between our work on the film industry and our new topic of TV drama. Where do you stand on the debate? Is TV drama the key medium of storytelling or will cinema always be king?

Complete for homework - due date on Google Classroom.