Deutschland 83: case study blog tasks

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 the reviews.

The reviews emphasise the nostalgia that the show conjures up because it is based in the 1980s, complete with the music and product branding. The criticism of the reviews is that the sad past of Germany may have prevented German viewers from enjoying the show.

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
This year, a lot of critics are throwing away their notebooks because only one German show was included in the competition schedule.

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?
"Not rating much of Walters output so far I'm afraid." suggests the show is only enjoyable due to the soundtrack.

Promotional interview

Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay



1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
He disbelieves in the idea of an East and West Germany since, after the Berlin Wall fell, things changed so swiftly that he was spared from having to grow up on both sides of the political spectrum. The freedom he currently enjoys and the freedom he had while filming the show.

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!)

This helps one of the major television channels achieve its objective of educating and entertaining its viewers. This is done in part via the Walter Presents television series, which introduces British audiences to a variety of international television programmes.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the a Channel 4 audience?

The question would be directed at viewers who watch Channel 4 for its educational and informative aspects because it would allow them to see how a German may think of their country instead of a British editor scripting their opinion.


Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations

We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.


Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on TV drama. Here's a Google doc we have worked on in past Media lessons on this topic - feel free to use these notes alongside your own. You'll need to use your Greenford Google login to access this.



Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

(4.58 – 8.20)

 - You can see people from afar like with the part where Martin’s Mum and her sister are speaking. It’s make it seem like somethings happening that we don’t know about

- military uniform

-Black Market and dodgy things such as Shakespeare, Coffee, Corruption, Kidney Transplant, Blackmail, Unsuccessful Economy - rundown buildings.

-State is more important than the family

-Sense of community

-OTS shot on Martin

-Handheld camera creates realism

-Binary opposition: Mother vs Aunt

(34:00-37:20)

-Informal talk between brother and sister

-Uniform: Military

-Narrative moment: Spy Genre and Suspense

-360 degree camera: under surveillance/paranoia

-Smart: clothing, High culture (Classical Singing), Modernist architecture: The elite, upper-middle classes (Working Class -East- sympathetic)

-Cuba: black music

-Ethnic Diversity in the west: General Jackson is black

Audience

-Rock music -“How cool is this?”

-It’s a party so you can hear multiple people talk at once

-Between specific characters, dialogue is scarce (Martin’s mum and her sister)

-Reagan: “danger”, “West is going crazy”

(34:00-37:20)

Representation

-East German Military Uniform

-formal dressing

-Seems like everyone knows each other quite well; everyone is seen as family? (34:00-37:20)

-West German Military Uniform

-Casual/Informal dress (suit buttons undone, aprons on)

-Very disconnected due to the fact that it’s a party with a bunch of army officials

-Families don’t seem that interested with each other as well.

-Great open space

-Big House


Audience pleasures  

-Personal Relationships: You get to see what’s a stake for our main character (Martin), making you want to root for him at the start

-Diversion: Nostalgia

-Surveillance: Audience is seeing what life was like in East Germany in the 80s


Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25


Technical codes

-Slow OTS tracking shot as Martin walks through the market. conveys a sense of confusion but also curiosity as he looks at everything on the stools as he is new to the area.

-Luxury: wood interior

-Plenty vs Scarcity

Stacked shelves: colour (Reference to Andy Warhol: Pop art)

Intertextual = post modernism

-Branded Puma T-Shirt, Jeans, Trainers

-Youth Culture, Consumerism

-Chase scene: Narrative Moment (Spy Genre)




AC

-Sweet Dreams Playing in the supermarket: Conveys how westernised the music here is, They’ll play anything as long as it sounds good and it’s not traditional

-“Sweet Dreams” can also convey Martin’s bewilderment to being in West Germany, the lyrics shown in the scene also relates to his story as well.

-Nostalgic 80’s music

-Intense music playing as he’s escaping

-Collectivism: Police State (Starzi)



Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40


Technical codes
-Fast-paced editing including jump cuts, typical of montage sequence.
-Split screen / editing / graphics used to emphasise difference between East and West.




AC

-Music and SFX: Non-diegetic sound adds pace to the sequence.

-Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narrative.

Representation

-East v West - split screen emphasises the brands that are available in the West but not in the East. Also for fruit empty space showed what wasn’t available in the East.

-Representation of women - female assassin 
Audience pleassures

-Intertextuality - similar to a Bond sequence (particularly with the gadgets)

-German audience - nostalgia in terms of products and brands.

-International audience - surveillance and learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc.

-Genre pleasures - spy/thriller.

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30


Technical pleasures

-Close-ups of Martin while picking lock and photographing the documents.

-Close-ups of the documents themselves - words like highly classified, actual details of the missiles and Ronald Reagan’s signature. 

These are recreations of real documents from the time - emphasising the historical aspect of the show and the way it is based on real events; positions audience to be on Martin’s side. 

-Shot from behind the blinds continues recurring motif of shots through windows or from behind objects. Creates voyeuristic pleasure and also fits the genre of spy thriller. Audience are given the experience of spying by continually using camera shots that give the impression of observing events from a distance.




AC

-Non-diegetic sound - music helps convey the tension of the scene and genre stereotypes of spy thriller.

-Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in briefcase. Creates tension.




Representation
                     
-Reality establishing D83 as a show based on real events. The close-ups of actual documents from the time help to blur the boundaries between historical fact/real events and fiction.

-East v West - presents West as threat to world security, nuclear war.


Audience pleasures

-Blumler & Katz - Uses and Gratifications theory. Surveillance - the use of real documents and genuine moments from history of cold war educates audience about German/American/Russian history. Threat of WW3.

-U&G: Personal relationships - this scene is effective because the audience is now invested in the character of Martin. We care about what happens to him which creates the tension in the scene. Audience have to want Martin/Moritz to escape here for whole drama series to work. Emotional investment in character. 

-Action and enigma codes - audience think Martin will be caught at any moment. U&G theory - diversion. 

Visceral pleasure - scene is tense for audience to watch, adrenaline.

-Voyeuristic pleasure - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn’t normally have a chance to see.

Production and industry contexts

Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

UFA Fiction is a German award winning film and TV show company. They have produced 'A Thousand Lines', 'Hartz and Herzlich' and more.

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

Freemantle have been producing, distributing and investing in content worldwide for over 100 years. Freemantle are experts at working with creative talent from all over the world to translate ideas into productions. They have produced shows such as 'The price is right' and 'Deadliest Catch'.

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

Deutschland 83 has been broadcasted around the world by the company Freemantle in partners with UFA Fiction which has made them successful globally, especially in the USA and the UK however not in Germany. Walter Presents

Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

Channel 4 introduces Walter as a successful company who produce shows that keep their audience on their toes and enjoy their shows. In addition Channel 4 presents Walter as producing shows that are action packed filled with action codes.

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

Channel 4 are trying to appeal more to a younger audience as they showed many shows with young protagonists which would interest younger generations however I would also argue they are also trying to target the older generation due to Deutschland 83 as it can be seen as nostalgia.

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

As live television views are declining more people especially younger generations are watching TV shows on on-demand. Channel 4 aims to promote the 'Walter Presents' series to attract more audiences to watch these shows on their on-demand service to increase profits.

Marketing and promotion

Trailer

1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

Surveillance: set in Germany 1983 shows to viewers how life was in Germany during the East and West conflict. 

Personal Identity: it is  a coming of age story as it follows main protagonist Martin going into adulthood and dealing with this top secret mission which was not easy to settle into as a young adult which certain teenagers and young adults can relate to.

Diversion: it's a spy thriller and keeps an audience on their toes. It allows an audience to escape from reality and live through Martin. 

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

The trailer uses guns and explosions, Martin running away and jumping off a balcony and lock picking cabinets. This connotes that the show is a spy thriller as it has action and enigma codes that reinforce genre stereotypes. The trailer entices the audience to watch the show in order to find out why all these things happened.

3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

The UK trailer avoided subtitles and German dialogue to appeal to a British audience as usually many TV shows are in English in the UK. international dramas are becoming more popular however it is still mainly enjoyed by niche audiences unless a TV show becomes insanely popular. Avoiding German dialogue may appeal more to a British audience.

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?

She said that this story was inspired by her husband's military service in 1980s West Germany, where he worked as a radio signaller monitoring Russian troops. Occasionally, the Russians would call him by name, suggesting a mole in his unit, but he never discovered who it was. At the time the Berlin Wall fell, over 2,000 Stasi agents were secretly operating in West Germany. While many films focus on East Germany, few depict the West, so she aimed to show his world through the eyes of someone unfamiliar with it like the main character.

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

The top 100 songs of 1983 are still on the radio all the time also because music videos started around that time as well, so there was a visual component.The soundtrack may attract an audience as it brings an element of nostalgia for individuals who listened to these songs growing up. 

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 was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?

After launching with 1.49 million viewers, the first episode has now consolidated with 2.5 million viewers, overtaking the launch of The Returned (9th June 2013) on Channel 4 which previously held the record with 2.2 million. The series forms part of Walter Presents, a brand new on-demand service showcasing the world’s best foreign-language drama.

2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?

"Set against the real events, culture wars and political realities of Germany in the 1980s, Deutschland 83 is a stylish coming of age story, framed within a suspenseful thriller." 

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?

The UK DVD cover focuses on our young protagonist Martin who is listening to music on a cassette player which reinforces this coming of age drama. In addition we see graffiti on the Berlin Wall behind Martin which may indicate the area where young people live and grew up in. 

The DVD cover also communicates this change between teenage years and adult years as the teenage years are presented as colourful and joyful whereas the other side as bleak and  serious. 

2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

The font in both is sans serif which reinforces young, modern, informal which conotes that this show is targeted to a modern audience. In the American poster has bright blue and pink colour scheme which is used to grab your attention. In the UK DVD cover Martin is grey possibly to portray that he has had his identity stolen from as he's forced to become an undercover spy.

3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

The distributors have used different marketing campaigns in different countries as different countries have different cultures and values, the same marketing campaigns may not appeal to both audiences. In addition the North America and East Germany had more conflict due to Ronald Reagan's speech which started the scare in East Germany.

capital marxism & hegemony

 Marxism & hegemony: blog tasks

Task 1: Mail Online review of Capital

1) Re-read the Mail Online review of Capital. Why does it suggest that Capital features a left-wing ideology?

The capital was overflowing with trendy movements just like Jeremy Corbyn's busy schedule. 

2) Choose three quotes from the review that are particularly critical of Capital and paste them into your blogpost. Do you agree with the criticisms? Why?

'With a fizzle like a firework on a wet night, Capital (BBC1) dribbled to a soggy ending.'

'the crime was handed from one cardboard character to the next. That’s not a whodunnit, it’s a cop-out.'

'Everything British came in for a dose of loathing'

Some criticism is valid, and Capital didn't have a satisfying ending despite the stress and fears of the characters. It felt rushed and done just to finish the series. However, there was potential for improvement, like focusing on a smaller cast or making the police more realistic with the threat of postcards more prominent in their daily lives. This could have made the series more engaging for viewers.

3) What scenes or characters from Capital could be read as promoting left-wing ideology?

Kwentina encounters the black female lawyer, while Roger and Arabella are depicted as overly focused on money, just like in the bedroom scene. Roger's lack of parenting skills is evident, and the Kamal family is shown to be assimilating into British society and culture. Petunia displays great tolerance towards immigration.

4) What about the other side of the argument - are there any aspects of Capital that reinforce right-wing or capitalist viewpoints?

Roger is dedicated to his work, even when he is at home. Kwentina puts in extra hours at work. They both receive bonuses for their hard work and save money to create a better future for themselves.

Task 2: Media Factsheet - Applying Marxism 

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #66: Applying Marxism. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level or online here (you'll need your Greenford Google login to access). Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does Marxism suggest regarding power in society?

It suggests that the elite have power. It also suggests that society depends on them.

2) Why is The Apprentice a good example of the media reinforcing capitalist values and ideologies?

The entire show revolves around the concept that people's fate in getting a job depends on the decision of entrepreneur Lord Alan Sugar. The show shows us that being employable and suitable for any job requires not challenging authority. This reinforces capitalists values that the elite, represented by Alan Sugar, relies on qualified labourers who must be compliant and non-confrontational to maximise profits for the elite. 

3) Come up with two examples of media texts (e.g. TV programmes, newspapers etc.) that either fetishise working class life (e.g. EastEnders presents quite a harmonious East End community which probably doesn't accurately reflect East London life) or demonise working class life or poor people (e.g. The Daily Mail and The Sun newspapers regularly demonise people living on benefits with headlines referring to 'scroungers'.) Explain what meanings these texts communicate to their audiences.

The New York Times talks about how TV shows are focusing more on blue collar workers, leaving the middle class underrepresented. However, many of these shows lack class-consciousness. In the TV show Shameless US, the family is depicted as financially unstable and causing trouble without feeling any shame for their actions, as implied by the show's title.

4) Look at the bullet points on page 4 of the factsheet: 

When making a Marxist reading of a text, look out for representations that:

• show the values of the power elite as beneficial to the mass - The failure of the bankers is what caused the housing crisis and so need to be protected in order for things to go back to normal

• show queries or challenges to the base as meaningless, foolish or anti-social via ‘failed revolt’ - Kwentina cannot work legally due to asylum laws

• show the subdominant position of the masses as a naturalised idea - The Kamal family working hard running the store and a newspaper delivery service while Roger struggles due to an 'unfair' bonus

• show the values of the power elite as ‘natural’ or ‘right’ - Rogers reference to his bonus being 'Fundamentally not fair' suggesting its his 'right' to earn a significant bonus

• show that being a member of the mass is a good thing - The close knit Kamal family which even in the recession stays close together 

• show the masses accepting the values of the power elite - The characters have no real choice against the crisis

• show the values of the power elite as being ‘for the good of the masses’ (even when unpleasant) - If the banking crisis did not happen most things would be alright

Now try applying those bullet points to Capital. Think about the setting, characters and narrative strands - how many of the bullet points apply to Capital? Does Capital reinforce or challenge the values of capitalism? Give examples from episode 1 to support your points.

The story being set in London gives us the impression of a city filled with wealth and the upper class. The comparison between the London residents and the privileged is emphasised by the show. Certain beliefs held by either the citizens or the government hinder the possibility of earning a living through hard work, as seen in the case of Kwentina being detained for working illegally.

1) Why did the Daily Mail suggest The Casual Vacancy promoted a left-wing ideology?

J. K. Rowling has expressed her disapproval of benefit cuts and the reduction of public services in various interviews. She has shared her personal experience of relying on benefits while raising her daughter and writing the first Harry Potter book.

2) How does the article suggest characters, narrative and setting are used to promote a left-wing ideology?

In the novel Barry Fairbrother dies early on but in the TV adaptation he plays a crucial role in advocating for the preservation of Sweetlove House. In the first episode, Barry delivers a powerful speech during a Parish Council meeting. This is opposing the Mollisons' plan to shut down the house. Meanwhile, Howard Mollisoninsults some children outside his bakery and connects them to his political beliefs.

3) What research is quoted regarding BBC bias and what did it find? Do you think the BBC is biased?

I believe that the BBC should remain impartial and not be influenced by any political party. I don't think they would show bias.

4) Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggests people are kept under control through active consent - the control of 'common sense'. How could you apply the Daily Mail or the BBC to the idea of hegemony and dominant ideologies in the UK media?

people consciously choose to engage with news stories from these newspapers giving permission for the media to present them with ideas and ideologies that can be either accepted or challenges The media has influence over the ideologies to which people are exposed.

Film Industry assessment learner response

Film Industry assessment learner response

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

WWW- A solid assessment showing some good knowledge of the CSP

EBI- Written English: spelling, Capital letters etc.

- Revise Key terminology: distribution etc.

- Revise marketing techniques for BBTL

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the number of marks you achieved for the three questions: 3/3;  3/6;  5/9. If you didn't achieve full marks in a question, write a bullet point on what you may have missed.

Q2: I may have missed out on:

● Film festival circuit – particularly the Sundance Film Festival where it was bought by New Line

Cinema.

● Premieres - London, Luton and Asbury Park, New Jersey (attended by Bruce Springsteen).

Q3: I may have missed out on ;

● Blinded By The Light cost $15m to make – money raised between Bend It Films (huge success

with Bend It Like Beckham), Levantine Films (huge success with Hidden Figures) and

Ingenious Media investment company.

● Blinded By The Light generated great excitement at the Sundance Film Festival which

resulted in an all-night auction that saw New Line Cinema pay $15m to distribute the film.

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.

● Interviews with writer, director and stars across TV, radio, newspapers and magazines (e.g.

BBC1 The One Show). This would have been useful as this is a more mainstream way to promote their product and they can give more insight into behind-the-scenes that the fans may want to see.

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.

● Unfortunately, despite good reviews and positive word-of-mouth from audiences and online

(rated 89% on Rotten Tomatoes) it only pulled in $18m at the box office, barely covering the

production budget and nowhere near covering marketing costs.

● Some industry figures suggested the film was released too closely to Yesterday – another

British comedy featuring popular music that was far more successful at the box office.

● New technology is opening new ways to distribute films and Blinded By The Light now has an

extended slot on Amazon Prime which will bring in some of the money it has lost. However,

it remains the perfect example of why the cultural industries are a “risky business” as

Hesmondhalgh says.