TV Drama

 04/11/2020

Television: Industries and Audiences

LO: To research the history, companies and regulators in the TV industry.

• Paper 1, Section A
• Given an unseen extract from a TV drama to watch and analyse.
• Asked 3 questions about the extract and 2 about TV in general.

Could be asked:

• How MEDIA LANGUAGE has been used to create media.
• How the INDUSTRY has influenced the meaning.
• the AUDIENCE reaction to the extract.
• The SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

Terminology:

Publicly owned TV channel: Broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than to serve purely commercial interests. All of the BBC's television and radio stations have a public service remit, including those that broadcast digitally. Funded by government and licence fees for the public service.

Commercial TV channel: Also called private broadcasting. It is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to government. Funded through advertisement (such as ITV)

Convergence: The process of joining different technologies into one device, such as a phone (technological convergence). The interconnection of information and communications technologies, computer networks, and media content. The merging of previously distinct media technologies and media form due to digitalisation and computer networking. It means the audience are offered a choice in how and when they consume the content.

Watershed: The time when TV programmes which might be unsuitable for children can be broadcast. The watershed begins at 9pm and material unsuitable for children should not, in general, be shown before 9pm or after 5.30am.

Segmented market: How an audience is divided into different groups depending on taste 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 outside bodies, such as the BBFC who regulate all films in the UK

Franchise: A licence from the company of a product to use/formal/show ideas.

Channel-surfing: The practice of quickly scanning through different television channels or radio frequencies to find something interesting to watch or listen to, watching different things for only a short time.

Public Service Broadcasting: Broadcasting intended for public benefit rather than to purely serve commercial interests. The communications regulator Ofcom requires certain television and radio broadcasters to fulfil certain requirements as part of their license to broadcast. All of the BBC's television and radio stations have a public service remit, including those that broadcast digitally. The public service broadcasters are those you can get for free on TV without a box or cable and include Channel 4, Channel 5 and the BBC. While all BBC public service channels are PBS channels, only the main channels of each of the other public service broadcasters have this status.

TV license: Any household/business watching, recording live broadcasts require to pay a licence. This funded the BBC. A payment required in many countries for the reception of television broadcasts, or the possession of a television set where some broadcasts are funded in full or in part by the licence fee paid. 

Scheduling: Deciding which shows to show at what times.

Conglomerate: A media conglomerate, group or institution is a company which owns several smaller companies, products, or services that are usually very different.

When was TV introduced to the UK? 2nd November 1936- First TV broadcast by the BBC.

In 1965, how many challenges were there in the UK and what were they? Britain only had two channels in 1960, BBC and ITV. A third channel BBC2 arrived in 1964.

When did ITV (Independent television news) start? How was it different?  22 September 1955. In 1955 ITV established themselves as the second British broadcaster. ITV is a commercially funded broadcaster which means that it is financed by money made from V advertisements. Independent commercially funded broadcasters, such as ITV, sell time slots for adverts.

Who regulated TV in the UK now? Ofcom.

Wo regulated TV channels in the UK in the 1960s? Independent television Authority (ITA)

List the differences between TV in the 60s and now? In the 60s, TV was black and white. TVs were small and unreliable. There was no broadcasting for large parts of the day and all tv channels closed down at night (playing the national anthem). Channel surfing impossible due to tuning issues. In 1969, all 3 channels could be seen in colour.

Channel 4 was aired in 1982.

All UK terrestrials channels have to follow the PSB remit, although it is stricter if the channel is publicly owned (such as the BBC)

18/11/2020

Ownership and Regulation

LO: To explore the ownership and regulation of BBC1 and ITV.

Ofcom regulates TV and broadcasting in Uk, setting standards for programmes that broadcasters have to follow. Ofcom can fine broadcasters id they breach their regulations.

Public Service Broadcasting (PSB):

• PSB refers to broadcasting (tv and radio) which is intended for public benefit rather than for commercial gain. 
• In the UK, The BBCs the main PSB channel and has to follow a strict remit. This determines the kind of audiences they target, the programmes they make and what they spend their money on. 
• Other terrestrial channels (ITV, Channel 4 and Channel5) have to follow a PSB remit but not as strictly as the BBCs. 

• Ofcom regulates the BBC externally. Internally, the BBC is controlled by a board of 12-14 members
• The BBC is granted a licence to broadcast by royal charter (something granted by Queen which guarantees independence and outlines the duties and purpose) which must be renewed every 11 years and sets out the BBCs public purposes.
• There is no governmental influence to reduce the chances of the BBC forming a biast view as it is free from governmental pressures..
• BBC- To inform, educate and entertain.

BBC Mission: "To act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain".

Purposes of BBC mission: Because they are funded by the public, the BBC have to meet the BSB remit in terms of genre variety, audiences, representation and quality of programmes they produce.

• To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them.
• To support learning for 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 of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United Kingdom.
•  To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world

BBC Values:

• Trust is the foundation of the BBC. We’re independent, impartial and honest. (trust)
• We put audiences at the heart of everything we do. (audience)
• We respect each other and celebrate our diversity. (diversity)
• We take pride in delivering quality and value for money. (quality)
• Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation. (creativity)
• We’re one BBC. Great things happen when we work together.

The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC. It sets out the BBC’s Object, Mission and Public Purposes. The Charter also outlines the Corporation’s governance and regulatory arrangements, including the role and composition of the BBC Board.The current Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027.

Funding: A standard TV licence is currently £157.50 a year. A TV licence is required if you: watch or record live TV programmes on any channel, download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer - live, catch up or on demand-this applies to any provider you use and any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.

What the licence fee pays for: The licence fee allows us to provide a wide range of TV, radio and online content, as well as developing new programmes and ways to deliver content to audience. The government sets the level of the licence fee. In addition to funding BBC programmes and services, a proportion of the licence fee contributed to the costs of rolling out broadband to the UK population and funds Welsh Language TV channel S4C and local TV channels.The licence fee allows the BBC's UK services to remain free of advertisements and independent of shareholder and political interest.

For and against TV licence fee:

• Licence fee means audience has access to wide range of content which appeals to wide range of people as it has a strict PSB
• Independence from government.
• Doesn't have to make a profit so don't have to make all popular formats (soap operas, reality TV...)
• Can make more niche, quality programmes that appeal to a wide, diverse audience.
• Outdated scheme (doesn't have to match the way we consume TV now)
• Should be pay per view/subscription as many use streaming services such as Netflix more than live TV.
• Still have government influence as they set the price of the fee.

Commercial Channels:

• Commercial channels are funded primarily through advertising.
• ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are commercially funded channels, but as they are terrestrial channels, they have to fulfil some PSB remit,
• Channel 4 has a PSB remit to deliver high-quality, innovative, alternative programmes that challenge accepted views and values.
• C4 is commercially funded but publicly owned which means any profits go into funding new programmes and not to shareholders.
• Subscription channels such as  such as Netflix and Sky do not have to follow a PSB remit.

PSB CHARACTERISTIC: BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, C4, C5.

High quality content: David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities (BBC2)

Innovative and challenging content:

Stimulating knowledge and learning: Saving Lives at Sea (BBC2)

Informing the public: Channel 4 news (C4)

Original, British made: Top Gear (BBC2). Im A Celebrity (ITV1)

Reflecting the UK's cultural identity:

Representing diversity and alternative viewpoints: Lockdown Chaos (ITV1)

Distinctive programming:

Commercial TV channels have no guaranteed income and it is therefore essential that they are profitable. They can generate income by:

• Subscription (BT vision, Sky sports/movies)
• Pay per view (sky box office)
• Sponsorship.
• Advertising (companies pay based on programme ratings. £250,000 for 30 seconds BGT)

ITV- Vision is 'to be more than TV' building upon its unique and winning combinations of creativity and commercial strength. By 1950's many felt the BBC represented a high-culture snobbery that left many faced with a class structure. There was a desire for a playful, commercial channel. Founded in 1955 as Itv. as a terrestrial broadcaster, ITV has a PSB remit to follow. It is a publicly owned company made up of many smaller privately owned companies.

How many channels does ITV have?- 6 channels: ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, cITV and ITVbe. ITV main channel, is the largest commercial channel in the UK.

25/11/2020

TV Audiences

LO: To explore how audiences consume TV dramas and the appeals.

Ways audiences can access TV now:

• On live TV
• Through a streaming platform such as Netflix.
• Different devices (tablet,computer...)
• Through TV catch up or BBC iPlayer
• On record
• Subscription TV (Sky)

Second Screening: Screenings that encourage audiences to join discussions on various social media during a like TV show.

Audience Interactivity: Viewers are encouraged to vote to determine the outcome. 

Active Audience Theory: Focus on debated as to whether an audience is active or passive.

• A PASSIVE AUDIENCE accepts and believes everything a media text tells them. They are easily influences ad 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 everything. They question messages and may interpret meanings differently.

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

• Much more channel competition.
• Different platforms available
• Second screening.
• Interactivity possible through other devices such as phones.
• Greater range of messages and genres.

Scheduling is massively important to both BBC and ITV. Competitive scheduling can benefit main channels as it created publicity. For example, BBC1's strictly come dancing results show was on at the same time as X Factor on ITV peak viewing time is between 6pm and 10pm.

Audience ratings are measured by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB)

The Watershed:

• Overseen by OFCOM, the watershed is between 9pm and 5:30-am.
• During these hours, broadcasters can show content not suitable for children up to age 15. 18 rated content shown only after 10pm.
• Unsuitable material includes sexual content, violence or graphic content.

Serial TV Drama: Any television drama that os organised into a series of episodes (not one-off dramas). Typically, a series contains between 3 and 12 episodes. A serial has a continuing plot then unfolds in a sequential episode by episode structure. Typically follow main story arcs spanning an entire season.

Sub-genres of TV dramas:

• Crime drama: Money heist, suits.
• Period drama: The Crown, Downton Abbey.
• Teen drama: Sex Education, End of the F***ing World.
• Medical drama: New Amsterdam, Grey's Anatomy.
• Science fiction drama: Dr Who.
• Fantasy drama: His Dark Materials.
• Political drama: Bodyguard, House of Cards.

25/11/2020

The 1960s

LO: Research the social, historical and political context of The Avengers.

 Most famous bands of the 60s: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys. The popular rock and roll (Elvis Presley) of the 50s was gradually taken over by the evolution of rock and pop.

Political party and PM in 1965: Labour party, (was always conservative pre war) won by 47 seats with Harold Wilson as PM.

Illegal drugs: LSD and Weed, according to the media, was a large part of culture in the 60s. Particularly with young people and Hippies.

Scientific development that changes women's lives: The contraceptive pill was invented- meant women has more control over their lives. 

Wars: Cold war (1947-1991), Vietnam War (1955-1975).

What were people protesting about in the 60s: Civil rights, the UK/US involvements in the Vietnam War, racial equality, train unions and paying conditions. Time of change.

Significant historic events: First man in space (1961) JFK assassinated. Korean civil war.

How was life different in the 1960s compared to now in the UK for women, men and people of different races? At the start of the 60s, the contraceptive pill was invented giving women a far greater degree of freedom than previously possible to be able to work in similar jobs along men, however there was a significant gender pay gap

Key Contextual areas:

• 1- Concerns over Cold War: In 1965, cold war at its height. Britain was a part of NATO- a group of 12 western countries who agreed to support each other in event of soviet attack. The Soviet Union formed a pact with 7 either communist countries. Europe was divided into two sides. Not a military war- spies were used to infiltrate countries and destroy from inside.
• 2- Threat of nuclear war: Anxieties about nuclear war were common as both the Soviet Union and the US were building up armies and weapons. In 1962, the cuban missile crisis took place over a week where the two countries were on the brink of nuclear war.
• 3i Espionage: Both sides used espionage in the cold war as a way of finding out what the other side was doing and as a way of laying false info. a number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the early 60s were either defected or put in prison. Espionage was a common theme in films and TV programmes. 

09/12/2020

The Avengers

LO: To research The Avengers TV show.

Which institution (channel) produced the show? ABC Television by contract with the ITV network. 

Who was the primary audience? Mainstream adult audience.

When was the first episode aired? 7 January 1961.

How many seasons were made? 6 seasons.

When was the last episode aired? 21 May 1969

What was the budget for season 4? £56,000 per episode.

British TV competed on the world market, with prestige productions such as 'the Avengers' being sold to overseas countries (90 by 1969). A deal with the American broadcasting Company (2 million dollars) which required the fourth season of the avengers to b shot on film and by location allowing for high production values in TV of the era. Previous series were very studio bound, as well as conventional for TV of that era. Videotape editing was a hard and costly process but allowed flexibility and continuity making the programme flow smoother.

The BBC was slowly weaned away from it's stuffy image by rigours of competition with ITV. However, channel loyalty tended to be split by class, with ITV seen as the working class channel at the time when the rise of youth culture and it was seen to be cooler and light hearted compared to the flagship period BBC drama.

Avengers and scheduling: The avengers was scheduled on Saturdays at 9:05 pm- peak time to attract a mass audience. The 4th series attracted audiences of around 7 million per episode and was often in the top 10 ratings. There were only 3 channels in the 1960s so there was high production loyalty.

12/12/2020

The Avengers: The Town of No Return

LO: To explore the narrative, characters and appeal of series 4, episode 1.

PLOT (The Town of No Return): 

• Begins with lobsterman on beach when man appears from the tide and says hello to him.
• Steed and Mrs Peel leave on a train to visit Little Bazeley by the Sea, a village in Norfolk, where agents have been reported to go missing.
• On arrival Steed, Peel and Smallwood, who they shared a carriage on the train and is going to find his brother.) are followed by the lobsterman from the beach.
• They go to the local inn and meet Piggy- the landlord, Mark Brandon, the school inspector, and Jill Manson, a teacher. 
•  When Smallwood leaves, several men with guns leave the inn and follow him. The landlord says it is just badger hunting.
• The following morning Steed and Mrs Peel find strange footprints leading out of the sea and up the beach, and find Smallwood dead and buried in the sand.
• Mrs Peel visits the school.  She discovers that the school has been unused for years and a large number of adult sized Wellington boots are there. She visits the local church where the vicar shows her the parish records, of which several decades are missing.
• Steed investigates the old wartime airfield. Steed discovers a mention of a pilot, killed in 1942, named Piggy Warren: the name used by the pub landlord.
• Mrs Peel and Steed learn that the village people  are impostors and are hiding something. They try to find Smallwood's brother but find the lobsterman pretending to be the blacksmith. Earlier they had seen a photo of Smallwood's brother so they know that he too is an impostor.
• Mrs Peel revisits the church and talks to the vicar, who suddenly pulls out a gun and reveals he is also an impostor. Mrs Peel is tied up in the blacksmith's until Steed arrives, who fights the lobsterman to free her.
• Mrs Peel finds a diagram on the back of the old blackboard of Britain and a submarine in the North Sea. 
• Wondering where have all the people gone, they surmise that this is a gradual invasion by a foreign power: small groups have been dispatched from a submarine located in the North Sea, explaining the bootprints at the beach and adult sized Wellington boots at the school, replacing the locals one by one until only the invaders remain.
• They are found by some of the imposters, fight them and lock them underground and leave the village.

Blumer and Katz Theory (uses and gratifications ):

• Personal Identity
• Information
• Entertainment
• Social Interaction

Personal Identity:

• Could identify and empathise with upper-class role models.
• Reinforce/explore their own views and values.
• Could identify with Steed as an English gentleman; cool, calm and unfurled.
• Could identify with Emma Peel: a tough, intelligent, equal female hero.

Information:

• Gain information about upper-class world.
• gain information about spies/espionage.
• assurance that there are highly skilled agents protecting Britain from invasion.

Entertainment:

• Could enjoy escapist plots.
• De-stress by involving themselves in Advengers' world.
• Enjoy the danger of he heroes situation ad how they escape with style and sophistication.
• Could enjoy familiarity of narrative: a different villain each week which the same heroes defeat.

Social Interaction:

• Could enjoy watching together as part of a family (would have only has 1 TV per household)
• Would enjoy discussing episodes with others who had watches too.
• Could build a relationship with familiar characters of Steed and Peel- almost a substitute fr real life interactions.
• A sense of Britishness gained in Britain and abroad.

Social Context: Espionage and foreign invasion.

08/01/2021

The Avengers Context

LO: To analyse the influence of social and historical contexts in series 4, episode 1.

Major concerns at the time: The Cold War, threat of nuclear war, foreign invasion and espionage.

With Columnists were a group of people who secretly sup[port the enemy and undermine a country from within. In the Town of no return, the fifth columnists were the im posters pretending to be the people of the village. 

The episode references World War 2 films such as 'The day Went Well?' from 1944. In both. cases, the English country village is an illusion and sinister intruders are impersonation bristly characters. In the episode, the imposters are shown to be typical British people. this is shown by the scene in the typical British pub where some man leave to go badger hunting.

Influences from films/TV from 1965:

• The Ipcress File; am unglamorous spy film with Michael Caine as a British agent.
• Thunderball: the fourth James Bond film
• The Spy Who Came in from the cold: Cold War spy film.
• 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
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E: American spy thriller TV series. 

Cold War and Espionage: The opening sequence of the episode symbolises the theme of the episode, which can be summed up as the attempted invasion of Britain supported by 'The Enemy Within'. Saul, who apparently represents the stereotypical British fisherman, is not alarmed by the strange arrival of the imposter Mark Brandon from the sea in a waterproof bag, but directs him to Lower Bazely as if a smartly dressed 'English gentleman' wading in from the sea were an everyday occurrence. This alerts the 1965 audience to familiar themes linked to spying: disguise and impersonation.

Reassuring the Audience: As a light-hearted spy thriller, the show would need to reassure the audience that, while the threat existed, the enemy was not efficient enough to succeed. This is shown in The Town of No Return as the enemy is defeated and outsmarted by Steed and Peel; giving the impression that while threat from foreign countries exists, the British agents are far more skilled. Another example is the scene in the school where Peel explains the planned invasion to steed on the blackboard; steed sitting behind a Childs desk. This is given very little screen time- steeds position adding humour; they both have a cool, calm response. all this helps to undermines the seriousness of the threat and reassures the audience that any threat is not as serious as the threats in the early years of WW2, and the country is safe being protected by experienced agents such as seed ad peel. There is a reference to W2 when Steed walks around the deserted airfield and takes off his hat as a salute to all those involved in the war and to remind the audience that Britain won.

Explain how social contexts influence TV programmes. Refer to The Avengers (1965) to support your answer. [10 marks]

Social contexts are influential to all parts of television programs including the themes, casting and narratives. The Avengers, is influenced by events such as the Cold War; as well as class divides and also reflects on past events such as World War 2. By incorporating events and themes from real life into the programme, it helps to engage the audience as it enables them to relate to the narrative and characters more easily. 

In the 1960s, The Cold War and a fear of foreign invasion were two big issues faced by the audience. The Avengers was influenced by these social contexts as it represented the enemy as foolish and weak compared to the strong and capable British agents, represented by steed and Peel. This is shown in the episode 'The Town of No Return' when Steed and Peel break into the secret bases under the village and defeat the enemy by trapping them inside fairly easily. This would have provided reassurance to the audience and perhaps lessened the anxiety felt by many surrounding the threat of invasion, helping to boost the countries spirits and moral.

The social context of class is shown is shown in the programme. The characters of steed and peel are stereotypically upper class. They wear fashionable clothing and sip tea on the train- they also know how to fence (fencing was a typically upper class sport). This life of luxuries would have been different to the vast majority of the audience, who would have been working class due to the fact that The Avengers was aired on ITV which was more typically watched by working class people compared to The BBC which was typically watched by those of higher class. By incorporating the life of those living in high society into the programme, it would have engaged the audience as it provided an opportunity for them to step inside into the lives of the upper class.

Another social context that is explores in The Avengers is espionage. Espionage was an extremely popular topic at the time due to The cold war. Both sides used espionage as a way of finding out what the other side was doing and as a way of laying false information to trick each other. A number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the early 60s were either defected or put in prison, thus making it an engaging topic for the audience. Espionage is shown in The town of No Return by the impostors who infiltrate the town from within. As well as The Avengers, there were a number of other TV programmes and films which were based on the theme of espionage such as 'It Happened Here' and the fourth James Bond film 'Thunderball'. 

15/01/2021

The Avengers Context

LO: To analyse the representation and influence of social and historical contexts in series 4, episode 1.

1960s values and attitudes:

• Females roles/inequality.
• Class structure.
• Changing views on sexuality.
• British manners/traditions.
• Attitudes to outsiders/foreign people.
• Patriarchal society.
• Stereotypical ideas of rural life.

Gender: In the 60s there was a new breed of tough, intelligent women. This can be seen in the episode when Peel beats Steed fencing and shows that women are not weaker than men, but equal. Women were often seen as sex objects, this can be seen in the episode when Steed smacks her bottom when she lets her guard down fencing. Peel is portrayed as an anti-stereotypical female when she fights and wins against two male impostors, showing her to be strong and independent. However, she is shown as a stereotypical female of the time when se gets caught and tied up, needing help from Steed to free her. this shows that despite being independent, women were sen to stroll need 'protecting' by a male figure who was seen to be stronger and better than their female counterpart. Peel is shown to be a reactionary (opposing social progress/change) stereotypical female when she is ordered by Steed to leave straight away for the mission without warning. This shows that in the 60s, women were expected to be submissive and respectful of men and their agendas and wishes.

Sexuality: In the episode, the producers choose to refer to Emma Peel as 'Mrs Peel' despite their being nothing to suggest that she is really married. This could be because in the 60s, it was deemed to be socially unacceptable for women to choose to not get married. In the episode it is assumed that all of the characters' sexuality is straight. This is because the episode was released in 1965 and it wasn't until 1967 that laws that made being gay illegal were abolished. In 1965, it would have been considered wrong and there was a lot of stigma against being gay; therefore all of the characters in The avengers are portrayed as straight.

Class: In the 60s, full employment has improved the standard of living meaning that working class people could afford much more than before. Popular culture became something available to all and London was seen as the centre of exciting new trends in fashion, art and music. Steed and Peel are of upper class. We know this because they dress smartly and know how to fence- this was traditionally an upper class spot and connotes that they have free time to be able to learn. Steel represents the traditional past, shown by his work ethic and how he treats Peel, who represents the exciting youth culture in the modern way that she dresses and the fact that as a woman she is all to defend herself. 

Age: In the 60s, there was a clear generation gap between the younger generation, with their new fashion, music, art and changing social attitudes and the older, more traditional older generation. Steed represents the older generation. He wears a bowler hat, which was a symbol of a British 'city gent'. His wearing of the gat is reinforced throughout the episode and used to overcome the enemy. Steed also has a black umbrella which symbolises traditionalism as well as an expensive 3-piece suit, connoting that he wears old-style clothes, that would have been fashionable in his youth. It also suggests that he is upper class as he can afford the suit. The fact that Steed fought in WW2 may allow the older generation to empathise with the character as they would have has first-hand experience of the war, thus helping them to engage with the character. Steed is polite and respectful which shows his more traditional values. On the other hand, Peel wears a fashionable black and white beret which would have been a symbol of the cutting edge, modern fashion of the 'swinging sixties'. In another scene, she also wears a black leather catsuit and a mini skirt, both of which are symbols of the changing, more youthful and experimental generation. Peel is respectful and dutiful connoting that despite being younger, she is able to empathise with people and is capable of holding responsibilities. She is well-spoken and polite which shows the younger generation to be intelligent and not afraid to share their views.

Ethnicity: In the 60s, there was growing support for the civil rights movements but ethnic inequalities in society remained. This is shown in The Town of No Return as there are no black characters- all of the cast is white.

23/01/2021

Television in the 2010s

LO: To research the UK in the 2010s in terms of the social, cultural and political climate of the decade and research TV usage in 2015.

Cuffs was released in October 2015 by the BBC.

What political party was in power in 2015? Who was PM? What was the relevance of UKIP being so popular? In 2015, the conservative party was in power, having formed a coalition government having taken the majority winning 306 seats in the 2010 election.  David Cameron was prime minister. UKIP, lead by Nigel Farage, was another popular party due to the growing interest in the UK leaving the European Union. There was a referendum in 2016 where the country voted to leave 51.9% to 48.1% remain.

What were the major fears and issues of the post 9/11 era? People were starting to get concerned about the growing concerns of law enforcement and there was a growing fear of terrorist attacks in the UK. After 9/11 the US and the UK, who were close allies with the US, invaded Afghanistan in an attempt to overthrow the Taliban, who claimed responsibility for the attack, however, many were in opposition of this war. Many of the terrorists who initiated attacks in the UK were off far right Islamic State groups, such as ISIS, and this greatly affected muslim communities in the UK die to the growing prejudice and stereotypes  against muslims. 

What was were being fought around the world? Afghanistan War; Iraq Civil War; Book Haram Insurgency affecting many countries in North West Africa such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad; Syrian Civil War; Kurdish-Turkish conflict affecting Turkey, Syria and Iraq; Somali Civil War; Yemeni Civil War...

What were people protesting about in the UK? Protests against student tuition fees (National campaign against fees and cuts- NCAFC); Protests about involvement in conflict in other countries and whether it is morally right; ethnic equality protests in the UK; anti-austerity protests...

There had been major shifts in attitudes and values since the 1960s such as 'The Equality act of 2010' which meant that discrimination in the UK was illegal. This made the UK into a far more multicultural and ethnically diverse country. Attitudes towards sexuality and LGBT rights were more accepting.

KEY EVENTS: 

The threat of terrorism: Afghanistan War, Syrian War, ISIS, Terror attacks in the UK, Korean Nuclear capacity.

Youth culture: Social media, iPhones, Drug culture, Knife crime, Rap music, Video game violence/obsession, steaming services (Netflix, amazon....)

Human rights: Third wave feminism, blacklivesmatter, oscarssowhite, refugees and tolerance. 

• Blackberry riots.
• Brexit.
• Trump election.
• UKIP influence.
• Asylum seekers/refugees.
• Hacking.
• Financial crash of 2008.
• PMs: Blair; May and Corbyn.

Using the information you have found and your own knowledge of our culture today, explain the differences you would expect to see from a police drama in 2015 compared to one from 1965. 

Consider: 

• Representations - sexuality, gender, religion, age, class
• Threats/issues
• Potential storylines.

In 1965, the main threats too the security of the country were nuclear war and foreign invasion, whereas, in 2015, the main threats to the country were far more internal issues such as terrorism and gang organised drug and knife crimes. Due to the different threats, the narratives that would be portrayed in the police drama would be different due to the different topics and themes that the audience would identify with.  In 1965, there would have been a limited representation of people from different races and sexualities in police dramas (and TV in general). People who were not straight would not have been represented as until 1967 being gay was illegal. People of black and ethnic minority groups were also under represented or not represented at all as the equality act, making out illegal to discriminate against others wasn't introduced until 2010. In a police drama in 2015, people of all genders, sexualities and races would likely be represented, causing a greater variation in narratives and characters, as people are more accepting of others there is a stronger belief that all people should be represented. 

31/1/2021

Cuffs Introduction 

LO: To explore the TV industry in the 2010s and the effect on TV shows and audiences.

Scheduling and Cuffs:

• Part of the winter schedule for 2015: aired October 2015, typically, a time aimed at wider family audiences. E.g. Apprentices and Strictly.
• Scheduling: broadcast 8pm on a weekday. Peak viewing time. Pre-watershed show targeted a broad family audience of 16-65, similar to that of Casualty and Waterloo Road.
• Offered range of characters and storylines to appeal to as many segments of demographic as possible, increasing the audience and relatability of show.
• Format/Appeal: Fits modern post 2010 populist series format - everyday relatable storylines with a consistent set of troubled characters with different issues. 
• Narrative: Weekday winter pre-watershed formats are intended to be engaging but not threatening to mainstream audience values. Storylines tend to be covered superficially and lack depth of darker post-watershed series like Luther or Sherlock. 

Cuffs was aired on the BBC which is expected to encourage competition for producing programmes as part of its remit, so many programmes are produced by independent companies. 

Production and Cuffs:

• Cuffs was produces by Tiger Aspect.
• Tiger Aspect productions has a long track record in both comedy and quality drama: Peaky Blinders, Benidorm, Ripper Street, Bad Education, Robin Hood, The Vicar of Dibley.
• The BBC wanted a programme to replace Waterloo Road, whose audiences were declining. The slot - 8pm Wednesday - was pre-watershed prime time, so required family-friendly mass entertainment and was the one day when the schedule was not held up by EastEnders, putting extra pressure on the programme to deliver large audiences.
• Cuffs ordered the possibility of reproducing the success of The Bill, a pre-watershed police drama that had been the mainstay of the ITV early evening schedules for many years. Cuffs ordered the same combination of a soap-opera style ensemble cast in a character-led narrative with a mix of humour and serious drama, in a similar mould to BBC's successful serial hospital dramas such as Casualty and Holby City. 

Passive vs Active Audiences:

• A passive audience will accept the information or message presented to them without challenge; an active audience is likely to challenge, question and research the things they are being presented with.
• The producers of cuffs use comedy elements, a range of multicultural characters, authentic locations and exciting police procedural scenes to target a mainstream family audience.

29/02/2021

Cuffs: Episode 1

LO: To analyse the narratives and characters constructed in an opening episode.

Characters and individual storylines:

• PC Ryan Draper: He is principled, committed and knows how to talk to people who need him. He is brave and has a clean record. He is a single parent and is charged with the responsibility of looking after Jake Vickers.
• PC Jake Vickers: A new officer who is following in the footsteps of his father, who is the chief super, and therefore has to prove his worth to the other officers in the force. He is openly gay which shows how far society has come since the 1960s.
• DS Jo Moffatt: She is an organised detective in the police force having an affair with Robert Vickers.
• Chief Super Robert Vickers: He is the stern and authoritative divisional commander and chief superintendent of the Brighton police force. His son, Jake, has joined the force and he wants to make sure that no-one gets in the way of his career. His wife has been diagnosed with cancer.
• DC Carl Hawkins: He works closely with Jo Moffatt but is more relaxed about his job than she is. 
• DI Felix Kane: Quiet and introverted compared to other characters. His private life is not touched on in the first episode and he is secritive.
• PC Donna Prager: Good friends with her partner Lino. She is dependable and capable, despite being female, and likes to get the job done.
• PC Lino Moretti: Good friends with partner Donna. He is relaxed and does not take himself seriously but enjoys his job. Eats a lot of food.

Personal Identity:

• Wide dance of characters of different genders, sexualities and races to identify with.
• Many see Characters such as Ryan Draper and Donna Prager as role models.
• May empathise with the difficult job the police face due to public indifference.
• May enjoy seeing gay characters as main protagonists, not defined by sexuality.
• Can explore/reinforce their own callers through those celebrated by the programme: teamwork, comradeship and dedication to duty.

Information:

• The social realism offers a sense of informing the audience about the real work that police do and the criminal world. The programme is social realism: a style of drama grounded in the contemporary world in terms of setting, characters and social issues, often portraying social injustice.

Entertainment:

• Can escape into fictional word of a police team.
• Can take pleasure from seeing the characters in danger, solving conflict and facing challenges.
• Can feel reassured by the hard work and dedication of the police team.
• Many enjoy seeing the police teams personal lives and ways that their job interferes with there relationships. This is possibly included in the series to show the audience that the police were real people and should therefore be treated with respect.
• May enjoy action, humour and suspense.

Social Interaction:

• May feel that they are part of the team and build a personal relationship with a character- forgiving weaknesses and admiring strengths- almost a substitute for real life interaction.
• May enjoy discussing episodes with others causing people around them who had not watched to feel left out.
• May use social media to comment on the programme (at the time, Twitter and Facebook were most commonly used)

15/02/2021

Cuffs and Social Contexts

LO: To analyse representations and influence of social and cultural context in Cuffs.

Social values of 2015:

• Far more gender equality.
• Class structure less prominent in society.
• Acceptance of a range of sexualities.
• Attitudes to outsiders and foreigners.
• Patriarchal society less evident.
• Multicultural society (equalities act 2010).
• Changing attitudes towards the police.

Changing attitudes towards gender: In Cuffs, the stronger roles for women reflects gender equality. This is seen in the episode through there being a female detective (Jo Moffatt), detectives are stereotypical male so having a female detective shows that women can also do that job. The show also conveys the changing attitudes towards masculinity as different male roles are presented in a positive light. For example, Ryan Draper is a single parent who undertakes typically female roles such as brushing his daughters hair. There is also a gay officer and a gay detective in the show- both of these characters are portrayed in a positive light. In the 60s, a show would n to have male characters in it- to if it did they would be presented in a negative light. Traditional masculine and feminine qualities are also no longer reserved for particular genders. This can be seen in the episode through Draper looking after his kids- a typically female role- and women undertaking traditionally male qualities like using a gun. 

Women's roles and representation:

• DS Jo Moffat: She has important status 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 hesitated to present the press conference but as strong during the police raid. Her status and power in the police reflects the number of women in positions of authority in 2015 compared to 1965 when men held nearly all of the positions of power and were perceived as the stronger gender.
• PC Donna Prager: She shown as kind when the officers are called during their lunch break. She also shows qualities that would have been stereotypically masculine in 1965 such as bravery when she is the first to get out of the car and confront the criminals and she is represented as athletic when she trains with the men in the car park. This shows that women can be as strong and brave as men.
• PC Misha Baig: As a muslim, she is representative of the religious and ethnic minorities who serve in the police force and all other workplaces in 2015 and represents the cultural diversity in the UK.

Men's roles and representation:

• Chief Superintendent Vickers: A more traditional representation of masculinity, as the dominant, controlling male whose job is to keep his team of detectives and police officer in line. Represented as authoritative and patriarchal in both work and personal life.
• PC Jake Vickers: Although he is presented as dominant through how he tries to get the man to open the door on his first shout out, he is the character with the least masculine qualities- he does not respond well under pressure which is shown when he has to give directions during the high speed car chase and is presented and indecisive and weak. He is also afraid of blood. He is an openly gay character which shows how attitudes have changed towards sexuality since the 1960s.
• PC Lino Moretti: Despite being a proficient officer, he is presented as less dominant and powerful compared to his female partner, Donna Prager, showing that women can be as good as men. This is further shown during the training in the car park when Lino drops out before Donna showing women cam be fitter and stronger than men. He is presented as kind because he allows others to show their talents.
• PC Ryan Draper: Has the most developed representation of masculinity. He is multi-dimensional with both traditionally masculine and feminine qualities. His typically masculine qualities include that he has power and respected and trusted to mentor Jake. He is determined and focused during the car chase. He bravely confronts the racist criminal and responds with determination and courage to the ram-race call. His typically feminine qualities include how he is gentle with members of the public, such as drug addict Nathan. He also gets very emotional when he is angry with Jake and is a caring single parent, taking on maternal roles such as brushing his daughter's hair.

Changing attitudes towards sexuality: The attitudes towards LGBT people has changed since the 60s and their visibility has increased and the representation LGBT characters shows then to be normal members of society. This is seen in the episode through gay characters having good jobs such as a lawyer or police which reflects the modern attitude that your sexuality does n to define you or your job. Jake Vickers' character challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being an issue or problem as when he tells other characters that he is gay, they do not make it the defining factor about him. Stereotypically, gay men have typically feminine jobs, however as a police officer (a stereotypically male job) Jake proves this stereotype to be wrong. He challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being an issue through his status as a police officer- in the 60s LGBT characters were not seen and were not perceived to have authority over others of seen in power.

Changing attitudes towards multiculturalism: The episode reflects the multicultural society of Britian in 2015 through the variety of characters of different ethnicities and race and that all of these characters are treated the same, despite culture when crimes are dealt with involving them, however racism still exists and the show reflects this accordingly. Differences in ethnicity are accepted in the show, shown towards the fact that there are two black police officers and how Ryan Draper is made Jake Vickers mentor shows that black people are seen in places of power and the racial equality within the police force. The racism that still exists in Britain is reflected through the attack by four white males on an Indian boy in the shop, leaving him with stab wounds and fighting for his life. It is further shown by the same man who committed the racist attack in the shop harassing and threatening Ryan Draper (a black police officer). this shows the audience that no matter what job they do, black and ethnic minority people in Britain still experience high levels of racism ginghams abut their lives. The racist group is presented 

05/05/2021

TV Drama: Consolidation

LO: To analyse the techniques used and their effects in the opening episode of Cuffs.

How are the police represented compared to the criminals? Greasy hair, trench coat, standing outside school looking in compared to fast-paced police: trustworthy. Criminals in house: Dark lighting, smoking. drinking, fired, heavy metal. Police up against negative public opinion, understaffing...

How is tension created in the dramatic scenes? Music turns scholar, sinister. Fast cuts. Intense music (non-diegetic sound). Hand held cameras. 360* spin: non sure what is going on confusion. Parallel editing between police on scene and those coming to aid them urgency. slow-motion to show holding breath. House raid: panicking, slow-mo, real slow-mo when focus on Jake and muffled sound to show fear ans confusion.Criminal and Ryan: going constantly between different weapons to show danger. Racist language. Music that builds.

Stereotypes used or subverted? First call: empty bottles, messy house, dirty, scruffy clothing. Drug addict, mental health problems. Police officer sympathetic and kind. Shots in chair: high angle shows him as scared, vulnerable and not a threat. Real life issue.

Diegetic sound is a noise which has a source on-screen. They are noises which have not been edited in, for example dialogue between characters or footsteps. Non-diegetic sound is a noise which does not have a source on-screen, they have been added in. For example music, voiceover, sound effects.

Juxtaposition between superintendent voiceover speech about how serious and dedicated the job of a police officer is with officer breaking up stag party. Officer shown from start as main character as he is the character who is followed in the plot and his voice is clear when others are muffled.

When analysing characters: camera shots: high angle (scared, weakness), low angle (power, authority).]

Pre-watershed so stabbing not shown/ bad language.

BLOCKING: how characters are positioned in a scene. eg. character at front most important.

12/5/21

LO: To explore exam technique and clear assessment areas.

Q1- Media Language. [5 marks] Pinpoint where each specific example comes from in extract. Analyse and explain how it creates meaning. 3 examples.

How has ... been used to create meaning.

blocking: superintendent at front- shows he has power and authority and is one of the main characters.

lighting

costume: group on beach all dressed in viking hats with shirts with names on- stereotypical sat night.

set

props: officer

Q2- Media language and representation. [10 marks] Analyse extract using media language and come to a judgement. 3-4 examples and judgement. Can look at MES, camerawork, editing, sound...

How particular viewpoints shown...certain groups represented...how audience has been positioned.

JUDGE HOW FAR ... no right or wrong answer.

Q3- Longer question. [10 marks analysis, 5 marks judgement]. At least 3 really specific examples from extract and analysis. 

How certain values represented...how certain ideas/values have been represented...how the audience have been positioned...how context effects meaning...theory. 

Analyse aspects of the extract, giving examples and judge how far they agree/disagree with statement.

STEREOTYPES 

Theoretical framework: media language, stereotypes/representation, audience (how might different audiences react to the extract. At time made low confidence in police due to police brutality investigations...schedules before watershed no can not represent 'real life' in a graphic way- low bad language/violence- so may not be nest representation of life as has been toned down for younger viewers.

Q4: TV industries and audiences. [5 marks] At least 2-3 points. May ask you to talk about either TV industry or audiences in general Could ask: scheduling, regulations, uses and gratifications -Audience appeals (PIES), PSB (BBC funded through TV licence eg. public funding so have to obey to public service remit.

Both ITV and BBC have mainstream audiences. Cuffs shown on BBC1.Targets large audience as they have a range of different characters of different genders, ages and races . Men and woman both in power. The cast is very varied so that mostly everyone has someone that they can relate to which increases personal identity. 

Q5: Contexts. [10 marks] Need 3 examples from Avengers. Social, political or historical context of The Avengers.

Could be asked about: influence of social context, influence of political context, differences between 1965 and 2015, effects of context on programmed. Either really detailed description of ONE context with a sophisticated explanation of its influence and lots of examples, OR effective description of number of social contexts with ecplanation of influence and exaples for each.

COLD WAR: Between Russia and allies. Espionage. First James Bond film. 'The Avengers' are sectert governmental

CIVIL RIGHTS: Entire cast white- no black characters. Lack of racial diversity.

GENDER EQUALITY: Emma Peel is a woman and seen to be an equal to Steed. First time in a drama female character strong and clever in own right. Still takes control as patrtiarchal society. Represents younger generation- fashion, arts. Steed represents older generation- suit, old views.

PROTESTING VIETNAM WAR.