TV Drama

Wednesday 6th January 2020

Television: Industries and Audiences

Learning Objective:

- to research the history, companies and regulates in the Television Industry

Exam Unit Introduction:

• Paper 1 - Section A
• You will be given an unseen extract from a TV drama to watch and analyse.
• You will be asked 3 questions about the extract and 2 about TV in general.
• You could be asked about: 
• How Media Language has been used to create meaning.
• How the Industry has influenced the meaning.
• The Audience's reaction to the extract.
• The Social, Cultural and Historical Context.

Terminology:

• Publicly Owned TV Channel - funded by government and license fees for the public service
• Commercial TV Channel - funded through advertisement.
• Convergence - process of joining different technologies into one device.
• Watershed - times when adult content (15+) can be shown. Between 9pm and 5:30am.
• Segmented Market - segmenting possible audience into group with common needs, taste or 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.
• Franchise - license from company of a product to use format/show/ideas.
• Channel - Surfing - changing frequently from one program to another on a television, watching each one for only a short time.
• PSB - Public Service Broadcasting; regulators demand channels fulfil certain requirements as part of their license to broadcast.
• TV License - any household or business watching, recording live broadcast require to pay a license fee. Funds the BBC.
• Scheduling - deciding which shows to show at which times.
• Conglomerate - a company that owns several smaller businesses whose products or services are usually very different. 

Research Task:

When was TV introduced to the UK?     

• September 22nd 1955.                                                    

In 1965, how many channels were there in the UK and what were they?

• 3 Channels - BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV.

When did ITV start? Why was it different?

• September 22nd 1955. It was Independent Television Authority and allowed advertising on television for the first time. 

Which UK channels have to follow PSB remits?

• All UK Terrestrial Channels have to follow the PSB remit, although it is stricter if a channel is publicly owned (BBC).

Who regulates TV now?

• Ofcom

Who regulated TV channels in the 1960s?

• ITV was regulated by the Independent Television Authority (ITA). BBC was self-regulating.

List the differences between TV in the 60s and now.

• There are now 480 channels compared to 3 in the 60s.

TV in the 1960s

Was on scarce. Only 3 channels were available - BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV - BBC2 was not available on older television sets. Televisions were expensive, small, unreliable, and in black and white. No broadcasting for large parts of the day and all television channels closed down at night (played national anthem). Channel surfing was impossible due to tuning issues. Recording TV was impossible. ITV started in 1955, to compete with BBC's monopoly over television broadcasting and to allow advertising on TV for the first time. ITV was regulated by the Independent Television Authority (ITA). BBC was self-regulating. All UK terrestrial channels have to follow the PSB remit, although stricter if a channel is publicly owned (BBC).

Wednesday 13th January 2021

Television Industries: Ownership and Regulation

Learning Objective:

- to explore the ownership and regulation of BBC1 and ITV

Who Regulates TV in the UK?

• Ofcom regulates TV and radio broadcasting in the UK, setting standard for programmes that broadcasters have to follow.
• Ofcom can fine broadcasters if their programmes do not follow their Broadcasting Code.
• Ofcom carry out regular reviews to see that the terrestrial channels (BBC, ITV) are fulfilling their particular PSB requirements.

Public Service Broadcasting 

Public Service Broadcasting -  refers to broadcasting which is intended for the public benefit rather purely commercial concerns (to make money).

Remit - area of responsibility or authority.

Terrestrial - broadcasts using equipment on the ground rather than satellite.

• In the UK the BBC is the main PSB channel and has a strict remit to follow.
• Other terrestrial channel have to follow a PSB remit but not as strict as the BBC.

PSB and The BBC

Royal Charter - something granter by The Queen which guarantees independence and outlines the duties and purposes.

• Ofcom regulates the BBC externally.
• Internally the BBC is controlled by a board of 12 - 14 members.
• The BBC is granted a license to broadcast by Royal Charter, which must be renewed every 11 years. The charter sets out the BBC's public purposes. 

BBC

Ethos - a set of ideas, attitudes and values associated with a particular institution

• BBC is a PSB channel since it was set up in 1922. Lord Reith outlined the PSB principles in 1925, stating that broadcasting should, "inform, educate and entertain" and that it should be free from commercial and government pressures. 
• The definition of PSB has developed since then, but BBC's ethos is still based on these ideas today. 

BBC's Mission, Vision and Values:

Our mission is "to act in he public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain."

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

Public Purpose (BBC Charter):

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

1. To provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them.
2. To support learning for people of all ages.
3. To show the most creative, highest quality and distinctive output and services.
4. To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the UK's nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the UK.
5. To reflect the UK, its culture and values to the world. 

The License Fee:

• The BBC is funded by the annual license fee which pays for BBC TV, radio, online content and for developing new programmes. The government sets the level of the license fee.
• If you watch or listen to any BBC programmes on any media platform, including tablets and smartphones, it is a criminal offence not to pay the license fee. This also applies to watching BBC iPlayer.

Advantages of License Fee

Disadvantages of License Fee

History of the BBC

Commercial Channels

• Funded through advertising.
• ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are commercially funded channels which also have to fulfil some PSB requirements.
• e.g. Channel 4 has  remit to deliver high-quality, innovative, alternative programmes that challenge accepted view and values.
• Channel 4 is commercially funded but publicly owned - this means that any profits made from advertising goes straight into new programmes and not to shareholders.
• Subscription - based channels (Sky, Virgin, Netflix) have no PSB requirements. 

PSB Remit

• High Quality Content - Channel: BBC - Programme: Blue Planet
• Innovative and Challenging Content - Channel: Channel 4 - 24 hours in A and E
• Stimulating Knowledge and Learning - Channel: BBC - Programme: Blue Planet
• Informing the Public - Channel: BBC - Programme: BBC News
• Original, British - Made - BBC - East Enders
• Reflecting the UK's Cultural Identity - BBC - East Enders
• Representing Diversity and Alternative Viewpoints - ITV
• Distinctive Programming - BBC - Our Planet 

Commercial Channels - no guaranteed income therefore it is essential they are profitable. 

They can generate income by:

• Subscription e.g. BT Vision, Sky Sports/Movies
• Pat Per View e.g. Sky Box Office
• Sponsorship - many programmes often contain sponsor stings or sometimes "thanks to" messages on the credits. Strands of programmes may also carry sponsorship e.g. ITV3 Afternoons
• Advertising - companies pay for advertising slots based on programme ratings. The more potential viewers, the higher the advertising slot (£250,000 for 30 seconds during BGT).
• Product Placement - since 2011 this is allowed on British TV (not during news or children's TV) subject to Ofcom regulations (certain products are banned e.g. cigarettes). Companies pay to have their products shown in programmes.

ITV

Our vision is to be 'More than TV' building upon ITV's unique and winning combination of creativity and commercial strength. 

By the 1950's, many felt the "BBC represented a high - culture snobbery that many leftist associated with an oppressive class structure." There was a "desire for a playful commercial, anti - citizen address as a counter."

This came along in 1955 with ITV.

As a terrestrial broadcaster, it has a PSB remit to follow. ITV is a channel made up of lots of smaller companies. It is non-profit.

Part of its PSB remit is to:

• Broadcast items of national importance.
• Produce a variety of programmes for a wide audience.
• Produce accessible content. 

ITV Research Task

• 6 Channels: ITV, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, C ITV, ITV BE
• Strategy: "Our Vision is to be 'More than TV' building upon ITV's unique and winning combination of creativity and commercial strength."
• Other Platform: ITV Hub 
• Other Income: subscription video on demand services, competitions, live events, gaming, merchandise.
• Most Popular Programmes: I'm a Celebrity, BGT, Rugby World Cup Final
• Most Expensive Programme: I'm a Celebrity (15 million)
• Advantages of Being Commercially Owned: people trust the channel and provides scale and reach. And allows the ability to buy the exact amount of ratings or views that you needs.

Funding:

• Advertising
• Franchising Programmes
• Premium Rate Phone Lines
• Reality TV Shows
• Product Placement
• Sponsorship
• Box Sets 
• Online Services

The Duopoly in the 1960's

• ITV and BBC were competing
• Referred to as a "Golden Age" of broadcasting in the UK.
• ITV and BBC had full control over the programmes as they produced them in-house. 

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

Positive:

• It could make both channels work harder to produce better shows to get better rating and views.
• Production became more of a business, talent was developed and processes improved.
• Builds loyalty audience.
• Full control of everything.

Negative:

• Some said the competition "dumbed-down" its content.
• Some shows were subject to ideologies of those in control.

Monday 18th January 2021

TV Audiences

Learning Objective:

- to explore how audiences consume TV dramas and the appeals.

Target Audiences

• Both BBC1 and ITV1 need to be popular and appeal to mass audiences.
• BBC1 has to meet PSB remit and justify license fee.
• ITV1 has to attract advertisers to fund channel.

Ways Audiences can Access TV Programmes Today:

• Subscription 
• Online
• TV Licence (On the TV)
• Live TV

Effects of Technology 

• Despite being able to watch time-shifted programmes or stream TV, the majority of audiences still watch live TV on a TV set. The PSB channels are still the most popular - 85% of people in the UK with a TV watch PSB channel. 
• With this we can watch whatever TV when ever we want to why do people still watch live TV?
• One reason for watching live TV is second screening which is screenings that encourage audiences to join discussions on various social media during a live TV show. 
• Another reason could be audience interactivity which is when viewers are encouraged to vote to determine the outcome. This continued engagement increases their commitment to the programme and loyalty to the channel.

Theory - The Active Audience

• This theory debates whether an audience is active or passive

Passive Audience - accepts and believes everything a media text tells them. They are easily influenced and don't question any messages conveyed.

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 now be more active than in the 1960's?

Nowadays there are a lot more channels compared to in the 1960's when there were only two. This gives channels more competition to produce better shows so more people channel surf. As well with more channels are better shows it is more likely people are interested in these shows so watch one after another for example I'm A Celebrity or BGT. As well there are many different platforms available so there is more access for audiences to get to these shows making them more active on different platforms. With this second screening has started now compared to in the 60's so more audiences are encouraged to join discussions on social media, another thing they didn't have in the 60's. Second screening has given people fear of missing out so makes them feel like they need to watch the show in order to join the discussions making audiences more active. Another reason could be interactivity possible which is when viewers are encouraged to vote to determine the outcome e.g. I'm A Celebrity or BGT. Through doing this audiences continued engagement increases their commitment to the show and loyalty to the channel.

Scheduling 

• Scheduling is very important to BBC and ITV. Competitive scheduling can benefit the main channels as it creates publicity. 
• For example BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing results show was scheduled the same time as The X Factor on ITV1.
• Peak Viewing Time is 6pm - 10:30pm
• Audience Ratings are measured by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB).
• BBC got better audience rating for last week according to BARB.

Audience Ratings - the number of viewers who watched a live TV programme.

The Watershed

• Overseen by OFCOM, the watershed is between 9pm and 5:30am.
• During these hours, broadcasts can show content that is not suitable for children up to the age of 15. 18 rated content cannot be shown until after 10pm.
• Unsuitable material includes sexual content, violence, graphic or disturbing imagery or language.  

What is the difference between a TV Drama and a Serial TV Drama?

A TV Drama typically follows a main story arcs that spin an entire season, they often contain complex narratives and key characters that evolve as the season continues. Where as a Serial TV Drama is defined as any television drama this is organised into a series of episodes typically 1 series contains between 3 and 12 episodes. 

Sub Genre

• Crime Drama - Sherlock
• Period Drama - Bridgeton 
• Teen Drama - Euphoria 
• Medical Drama - Grey's Anatomy 
• Science-Fiction Drama - Stanger Things
• Fantasy Drama - The Umbrella Academy 
• Political Drama - Designated Survivor 

Light-hearted, Spy Thriller (ITV - 1965)

Police Procedural with comic element (BBC1 - 2015)

Wednesday 20th January 2021

The 1960's

Learning Objective:

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

Context

In your exam, you will be graded on your knowledge of the social, cultural and historical factors that influenced the narrative, characters, props, sound and themes of the popular 1960's show The Avengers.

The Swinging 60's

1961:

• Berlin Wall is built, dividing East and West Germany
• The Avengers television series first screened on ITV
• Sunday Telegraph Newspaper first published
• Tottenham Hotspur win the Football League First Division 
• A Taste of Honey (film) was released

1962:

• The Sunday Times becomes the first newspaper to print a colour supplement
• The Beatles play their first session at Abby Road Studios 
• Live television broadcast from the US to Britain for the first time
• The first James Bond film premiered at the London Pavilion
• Jamaica becomes independent

1963:

• The Beatles release their debut album
• The UK, US and Soviet Union sign a nuclear test ban treaty
• Ford motor company begins
• First episode of Doctor Who is broadcasted 
• The Beatles get a third number 1

1964:

• Top of the Pop first airs on BBC TV
• BBC Two begins scheduled broadcasting
• The Beatles' first film is released
• Winston Churchill retires from the House of Common at the age of 89
• First portable televisions go on sale
• First Match of the Day airs on BBC Two
• The Sun Newspaper goes into circulation

1965:

• Winston Churchill dies
• The Murder Act suspends capital punishment for murder in England
• Thunderbirds Airs
• Debut of BBC Radio comedy
• Release of the film Darling

Social and Political Context:

Most Famous Band - The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys

PM and Political Party in Power - Sir Harold Wilson, Labour Government

Science Development that changed women's lives - The pill was introduced

Significant historic event - Winston Churchill dies, the Beatles released their first album, top of the pops and match of the day starts of BBC1 and 2, portable televisions go on sale, The first James Bond film premiered.

Key Contextual 

Cold War - state of hostility between the Soviet bloc and powers after WW2

Cold War:

• 1965 Cold War was at its height.
• Britain was part of NATO - a group of 12 western countries who agreed to support each other in the face of a Soviet attack.
• In retaliation the Soviet Union formed a pact with 7 other communist countries.
• Europe was divided into 2 armed sides.

Threat of Nuclear War:

• Anxieties about nuclear war were common.
• Both Soviet Union and US were building up their armies and weapons.
• In 1962, The Cuban Missile Crisis took place over a week when the who countries took the world to bring the brink of a nuclear war.

Espionage:

• Both Sides in the Cold War used Espionage to find out what the other side was doing to plant false information. 
• Number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the early 60's and either defected or imprisoned. 
• Meaning that espionage was a common theme in films and TV programmes.

Espionage - the practice of spying or using spies.

Monday 1st February 2021

The Avengers (1965)

Learning Objective:

- research the TV Show the Avengers.

1. Which institution (Channel) produced the show?

ITV

2. Who was the primary and secondary audience?

Mainstream Adult Audience

3. When did the first episode air?

7th January 1961

4. How many seasons were made?

Six

5. What date/year was the last episode aired?

21st May 1969

6. What was the budget for Series 4?

£56,000 per episode

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

This meant the series had higher production and money to do more and add more to the show making it more popular and some new things added people had never seen before. As before this deal the show had only basic production values which meant it had a certain range it could do but with the deal it unlocked more access to different locations and editing that it was better than others therefore the more money they had for each episode the more that could produce that was unique from others like the access to the show being shot on film allowing the show to have better camera work. 

'British television did compete on the world, market, with prestige productions such as The Avengers being sold to many countries overseas (90 countries by 1969). A lucrative deal with the American Broadcasting Company (reportedly $2 million) required the fourth series of The Avengers to be shot on film and allowed high production values for television of that era. Previous series were very studio bound as was conventional  for television of that era, and so appear to be very 'stagey' by contemporary standards. Videotape editing was a difficult and costly process so most television was mixed live, with mistakes and fluffed lines left uncorrected. Many programmes were lost as expensive videotape was re-used for new programmes. Shooting on film for a higher budget enabled more sophisticated camerawork, greater use of locations, more controlled editing and a more sophisticated soundtrack, with a through-composed score.'

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

Actors - Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg (guest starring: Alan MacNaughton, Patrick Newell, Terence Alexander. 

Daniel Patrick Macnee: 1922 - 2015
Other Roles: The New Avengers, A View to a Kill.

Other Information: Serving in the Royal Navy during WW2, started his career in Canada.

 

Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg DBE: 1938 - 2020

Other Roles: Game of Thrones, Mother Love, On her Majesty's Secret Service. 

Other Information: Actress on stage and screen. Played Medea on Broadway in the London and New York which she won the 1994 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

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

As ITV was seen as a working class channel many people in working class homes only had one TV meaning whatever was on TV they watched there and then. This meant many more watched shows like The Avengers together as a family. Also The Avengers appealed to youth culture as it was different, daring and fun. 

'The BBC was slowly weaned away from its stuffy 'Auntie' image by the rigours of competition with ITV. However, channel loyalty tended to split on class lines, with ITV seen as the more working class channel - at a time when, the rise of youth culture, it was suddenly 'cool' to be working class - and the BBC seen as more middle class. Thus the BBC's flagship drama of the mid 1960s, The Forsyte Saga, was a sterilisation of a set of novels by Galsworthy, a Nobel prize-winning British author. In comparison, ITV series such as The Avengers appeared much more daring, youthful, irreverent and sexy. 

The Avengers and Scheduling

How many channels were there in 1965? 

- three - BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV

What did that mean about audiences and channel loyalty?

- as there were less channels people had less to choose from so they all just watched what was on TV at that time of day.

• The Avengers was scheduled on Saturdays at 9.05pm - peak time to attract a mass audience.
• The 4th series attracted audiences of around 7 million and was often in the top 10 ratings.

The Avengers and Competition

• Which channel was ITV's main rival?

- BBC

• What made ITV financially secure?

- As it faced no competition for moving image advertising revenue which meant commercial television channel could be highly regulated.

• What had happened that meant series four had an even bigger budget than normal?

- The Avengers made  $2 million deal with ABC so they had $56,000 for each episode. 

High Production Values

Because of the additional money from ABC, the show could afford much higher production values: more location shooting, all shot on film etc.

Each episode had a budget of around £56,000 which would be the equivalent of £928,00 today. 

Wednesday 3rd February 2021

The Avengers: The Town of No Return

Learning Objective:

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

The Narrative - the main characters John Steed (Patrick Macnee) and Emma (Diana Rigg) find a hidden army at a coastal village while investigating the disappearance of agents.

The Characters - John Steed is the central protagonist in the series. Steed is a English secret agent working for unnamed branch of British intelligence and in series 4 is teamed with new spy Emma Peel. Peel is also a spy who is an expert in martial arts and is the main female character. 

Social and Cultural Context - Cultural inequality, inequality in men and women.

Audience Appeal - There main characters take a train to a beach town to stay for a few days, this was common for families to do in the 60's so they could relate to this. The episode is also full of mystery and action which keeps the audience gripped from beginning to end on the possibilities. 

Why might this programme have appealed to the audiences at the time?

The show appeals to audiences through the Uses and Gratification theory of Blumler and Katz of personal identity, information, entertainment and social interaction. For personal identity audiences can relate to the plot of series 4 episode 1 in how the main characters take a train to the beach for a few day which was common for families can appeal to the show. The information appeals to audience of different aspects through religion, families, and possible mysteries. The show appeals to the audience through entertainment as this show is full of mystery and action which keeps the audience gripped from beginning to end guessing the possibilities. For social interaction families would talk about the show as many people had only one tv so only watched what was on at that time of day. Also lower class families were more commonly watching ITV in the 60's and The Avengers was this. 

Personal Identity (U and G):

• Could identify and empathise with the upper-class role models.
• Could explore and/or reinforce their own views and values.
• Could identify with the 'English Gent' - Steed. Cool, calm and unruffled.
• Could identify with a tough, intelligent and equal female hero - Emma Peel.

Pastiche - a media product that imitates another product through visual style, media language or narrative. 

Information (U and G):

• Could gain information about the world of the upper class. 
• Could gain information about the world of espionage/spies.
• Could feel reassured that there were highly capable agents protecting Britain from a foreign threat. (Despite pastiche element).

Entertainment (U and G):

• Could enjoy the escapist plots.
• Could de-stress by losing themselves in Avengers' world. 
• Could enjoy the danger of the heroes' situations and how they escape with style, humour and sophistication. 
• Could enjoy the familiarity of the repetitive narratives; a different villain each week that the heroes defeat. 

Social Interaction (U and G):

• Could watch the programme together as a family (only have one TV per household).
• Would enjoy discussing episodes; friends and co-workers would feel left out if not seen.
• Could build a personal relationship with the familiar character of Steed and Peel - almost a substitute for real life interaction.
• A sense of Britishness gained in Britain and abroad from the programme. 

Genre - its gripping that everyone has to come back to the next episode and action is fun and different it makes it appeal to audiences.

Camerawork and Editing - with the $2 million deal with ABC in America camerawork and editing improved a lot so this meant emotions and action sequences were captured better. 

Mise-en-scene - like camerawork and editing previously lighting, costuming and hair and makeup etc make the characters more real to audiences. The lighting helps to show more important aspects especially in black and white.  

Wednesday 10th February 2021

Context - The Avengers: The Town of No Return

Learning Objective:

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

1960's Social Context

Major Concerns at the Time:

• Cold War
• Threat of Nuclear War
• Threat of Foreign Invasion
• Espionage 

Intertextual References

Filth Columnists - were a group of people who secretly support the enemy and undermine a country from within.

Who were the filth columnists in this episode?

This episode references World War Two film like 'Went the Day Well?' from 1944. IN both cases, the English country village is an illusion, as sinister intruders are impersonating stereotypical British characters.

Who were these characters and how were they shown to be stereotypes?

Many national concerns could be seen in some of the films releases in the early 60s. 

Influences from Film/TV from 1965

The Impress File: an unglamorous spy film with Michael Cain as a British agent. 

John Steed is based around this character. 

Thunderball: the fourth James Bond Film

The action storyline is taken from this, a blockbuster film.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold: Cold War Spy Film

The information from this film about the cold war could be incorporated into this episode.

The War Game: fiction film on the effects of a nuclear attack on Britain.

Used to understand these effects of a possible nuclear attack to create fear into the show from this film. 

It Happened Here: fiction film about occupation of Britain by the Nazis.

The opposition information of the Nazis from this film would be used in the series.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E: American Spy Thriller TV Series.

As America was very popular and wealthy in their film the series could use films like this to have a different type of action of reach a different audience or to learn about spy thriller from better films. 

The 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 links to spying: disguise and impersonation. 

Reassuring The Audience

As a light-hearted spy thriller, the show would need to reassure thee audience that, while the threat existed, the enemy was not efficient enough to succeed. 

Shown in Episode 1:

• Characters and Stereotypes - Steed is a stereotypical English gentleman who dresses in a suit with a hat and walking stick which would be familiar to an audience. As well he is a spy who also has a comical side so the show isn't too serious about the spy thriller side as it also has a comical side.
• Comedy - Steed put comedy through the spy thriller side to make it humorous to audiences less like some of the other more serious action movies.
• Narrative - Basic story line where a problem occurs and they solve it. Also the main characters Steed and Peel never show any worry to not worry the audience. 
• Particular Scenes - The scene where Peel is explaining the plan to Steed who is sitting at a child's desk. This brings humour making it less serious to views as well Steed and Peel are not worrying which makes audiences not worry.

Example 

The scene where Emma Peel explains the planned invasion to Steed on the blackboard, whilst he sits behind a child's desk.

This is given very little screen time; Steed's position add humour; they both have a cool, calm response.

All this help to undermine the seriousness of the threat and reassures the audience that any threat is not as serious as the threat in the early years of WW2, and that the country is safe with agents like Steed and Peel.

References to WW2 - The scene where Steed walks around the deserted afield and doffs his hat to his reflection is a salute to all those involved in WW2 and remind the audience that Britain triumphed.

Humour - When Peel explains the planned invasion to Steed while he sits at a child's desk.

Melodrama - 

Casting a Performance - 

Commitment to Duty - 

Representation of the Enemy - 

Exam Question 

Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support you answer. (10)

Social context influences the TV programmes in the 1960's such as the Avengers. The 1960's was a time of many significant males such as James Bond, the Beatles and Winston Churchill which would've influenced male characters such as Steed on TV shows. Men like Bond, the Beatles and Churchill presented the typical English Gentleman with a bowler hat, suit and walking stick which is reflected in characters such as John Steed with their choice of style. This suggests how social influences such as this had a big influence on characters in television programmes like Steed in The Avengers. With this, families at home watching The Avengers would recognise characters like Steed from social influences like Bond where they feel comfort and safe as these types of people were recognised by saving the 

world.

With this, the social influence again of James Bond having impact on television shows such as Avengers on what they chose to show and how they portray characters. As the first James Bond film came out in 1962 followed by six others throughout the 60's had an impact on shows like The Avengers. The show was a crime thriller which portrays Steed and Peel saving the world from evil, much like James Bond. People at home watching would recognise and enjoy this theme as it was portraying in the blockbuster James Bond film which made the saving the world style of film well known therefore used in Avengers.

However, social context influence programmes by influencing people who make them and watch them. The Avengers is from the 1960's and back them very few women were working in television or film which is reflected in the film through the character of Emma Peel. Peel is presented as an object that needs saving and protecting by Steed. Similarly, the white context of the 1960's in Britain meant there would be less or no actors with different ethnic minorities. This is from the social influence of Britain in the 1960's as audiences would be living in a white-dominated country/area so its normal for views at home to see people like them or who they see everyday.

Self Assess

WWW - explained how media language was used and gave examples and effect.

EBI - use better terminology, use better examples and explain how media language has been used better and link to context better. 

Monday 22nd February 2021

Context - The Avengers: The Town of No Return

Learning Objective:

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

Representation

Stereotypical English seaside town represented in Episode 1:

• Characters - John Steed represents a typical English gentleman - always wearing a suit, wearing a bowler hat and carrying a walking stick. 
• Setting - The pub in the film is a English stereotype with the design and layout. 
• Props - 
• Character Interaction - They all speak proper English that is clear. 
• Dialogue - 
• Stereotypes - 

How was Media Language used to show the attitudes and values of the 1960s?

- Through character representation, camera work, mise-en-scene, editing and sound. 

Consider:

• Camera 
• Mise-en-scene
• Editing
• Sound 

Look for:

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

Gender

A new breed of tough, intelligent women, how can this be seen in the episode?

- through the character of Peel as she represents a strong women who fights along side a man.

Women as sex objects, how can this be seen in the episode?

- this can be seen through Peel in what she wears. 

Ideological tension about gender roles in 1965?

- women were less like stereotypical housewives and worked jobs that originally meant for men.

- Steed doesn't know Peel's name, can Peel 'lady' but she knows his - men where more well known through names. 

Emma Peel is Anti-Stereotype:

• She overpowers Steed in the fencing match.
• Drinking in the pub with men. 
• Fighting the antagonist.

Emma Peel is Reactionary Stereotype:

• She is ordered by Steed to leave immediately for a mission without warning. 
• Peel decides to be a teacher unlike Steed - more women were teachers than men.
• Peel gets told to stay in the room because he can move silently. Steed tells her what to do a lot. 

Sexuality

The producers chose to call Emma Peel Mrs Peel, what does this suggest about attitudes towards relationships in the 1960's?

- through calling her Mrs Peel suggests she is married.

What assumptions are made about everyone's sexuality in the episode and what does this suggest about attitudes towards sexuality in the 1960's?

- everyone is straight - in the 1960's very few were not straight making it more common to have straight characters as well people at home watching in the 60's may think its different. 

Class

In the 1960's, full employment had improved the standard of living and working class people could afford much more. Popular culture became something available to all. London was seen as the centre of exciting new trends in fashion, art and music.

What class are Steed and Peel? How do we know this?

- Steed and Peel would be upper class as you can see from where Peel lives is very nice considering she lives by herself. As well Steed is always dressed in a 3-piece suit showing his class that he can afford multiple suits that are expensive. As well they both spontaneously go on a trip to the beach which may be expensive for some to just do there and then. 

How do they represent both the traditional past and the exciting youth cultures?

- Peel is younger generation with latest fashion trend and humour. Steed is the opposite with a classic style with a suit and bowler hat. 

Age

In the 1960s there was a clear 'generation gap' between the younger generation with their new fashions, music and art and changing social attitudes and values and the older, more traditional generation.

Steed and Emma Peel represent both generation. Why do you think they wanted to have positive representations of both?

- to reach a wider audience of older and younger so families could watch the show together and enjoy it.

Steed (older generation):

• Bowler Hat - symbol of British 'city gent' reinforced and used to overcome enemy.
• Black Umbrella - symbol again of a typical English gentleman who are often seen carrying around an umbrella. 
• Expensive 3-piece suit - shows a respect and proper presentation, also very expensive younger generations may not be able to afford.
• Fought in WW2 - older generation at this time, almost all fought in WW2. As well we see fighter pilot model planes hanging in the pub show WW2 is still current history and many people fought and remember it well.
• Polite and Respectful - Clear through how they talk to each other polite.

Peel (younger generation):

• Fashionable Black and White Beret - symbol of cutting edge fashion 'swinging London' modern.
• Black Leather Catsuit - a young style - you wouldn't see an old person wearing this. 
• Mini Skirt - Peel is seen as an object in the show.
• Respectful and Dutiful - young with energy to do a lot. 
• Well-Spoken and Polite - More younger people spoke very formal in the 60's unlike today. Also a sign of being brought up well, higher class family. 

Ethnicity

In the 1960s, there was a growing support for the Civil Rights Movement but racial and ethnic inequalities in society remained. 

How could this be seen in episode 1?

- There are not diverse ethnicity's of actors in the show. 

How was Media Language used to show the attitudes and values of the 1960s?

The use of Media Language is used to show attitudes and values of the 1960s, specifically through mise-en-scene. In the Avengers the character of John Steed is shown to be wearing a three-piece suit and bowler hat which is a symbol of the stereotypical English gentleman, common in the 1960's. This costume choice for Steed is also a sign of an upper class gentleman and suits were very expensive in the 1960's. This is a reflection on improvement of the standard of living and working class people could afford much more items like a suit that Steed is wearing. The character of Emma Peel wears a fashionable black and white beret a symbol of cutting edge fashion as in the 60's London was seen as the centre of exciting new trends in fashion. Families at home watching on ITV would recognise this expensive look as ITV was a commercial channel. 

Furthermore, the use of media language is used to show attitudes and values of the 1960's show, The Avengers. The show does this through camerawork which reflects on the values in the scene where they go to the pub. At the start of the scene we see the pub name on a sign then a overview of the pub which shows how people in the 1960's valued pubs a lot as it was a way to socialise that everyone of all classes could do. We also see two men playing darts which was also a common pub game in the 60's, camerawork like this gives familiarity to audiences making the show as much like normal life of audiences as possible so they can relate like when the happy bar man appears as well. 

They also use editing to show the attitudes and values of the 1960s. They do this from scene to scene, as the characters travel for example from this train to the pub they have small frames that aren't scenes with people talking but give information like the pub name. This shows the value of the extra information in the 1960's to give more context to the scene. They also may cut out certain scenes that they feel are unnecessary to the storyline. 

Sound is another factor of media language which shows the attitudes and values of the 1960's. In a scene sound sets the mood of the scene gives audiences a feeling to what is going on. As well sound when certain characters are shown can change the judgement of them for example there is suspicious music over the conversation between the teachers and Peel. This is a contrast from when there is no music over dialogue showing this conversation needs to be heard and remembered. But when there is music it makes audiences pay attention more to the new character on view as they are important based of music if they are good or bad. 

Wednesday 24th February 2021

Television in the 2010s

Learning Objective:

- research the 2010s (UK) in terms of social, cultural and political climate of the decade; research TV usage in 2015. 

Research

Cuffs was released in October 2015. 

What were the key events, in the UK and globally, that happened in 2015  that might influence a TV series set in present day UK?

- major London landmarks lit in the colours of the French national flag in tribute of the victims of recent terrorist attacks in Paris. 

- Security chiefs meet with David Cameron to review the risk of a terrorist attack.

- European refugee crisis.

- Action filled films like: Star Wars, Jurassic World, Fast and Furious, Avengers, James Bond, Mission Impossible and The Hunger Games all release new films which hit high in box office. 

- Cricket World Cup, Women's Football World Cup, Rugby World Cup and Tour de Yorkshire.

- Shows like Poldark and released. 

Which political party was in power in 2015? Who was PM? What was the relevance of UKIP being so popular?

- The Conservative Party was in power in 2015. They were lead by David Cameron who had been leader of the Conservative Party since 2005 and member of Parliament since 2001. He identifies as one-nation conservative and has been associated with both economically liberal and socially liberal politics. The Conservative Party was the larger party in the coalition government, having won most seats, 306, in 2010. UKIP stands for UK Independence Party, a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party. Its key policy is to leave the European Union, a simple message that had grew bigger and bigger in support in European election. Dr Matthew Goodwin said "UKIP is rooted in some very deep, very sharp and growing divisions within British society".

What were the major fears and issues of the post 9/11 era?

- After September 11th the suspicion of non-Americans in the US grew, increased government efforts to address terrorism and a more aggressive American foreign policy. Many who had lost loved ones suffered from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety or PTSD. Airport security has been tightened and security personnel are more thoroughly trained to detect weapons or explosives. After, Americans lives in fear of foreign extremists and underplay.

What wars were being fought around the world?

-  War in North-West Pakistan was where Pakistan military forces were taking down and controlling the insurgency in Western Pakistan. Iraqi Civil War was between Iraqi forces and their allies and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. War in Afghanistan is still ongoing today from the beginning with the United States invasion of Afghanistan, many of the US allies are contributing still.  Syrian War  is a ongoing multi-sided civil war in Syria between the Syrian Arab Republic and domestic and foreign allies and various domestic and foreign forces opposing both the Syrian government. All of these wars included the United Kingdom is some way. 

What were people protesting about in the UK?

- The main protestors in 2015 was the Anti-austerity protestors. This movement saw major demonstrations in response to Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition on governments austerity measures. This measures saw significant reductions in local town budgets, increase of university tuition fees and reduction of public spending on welfare, education, health and policing. 

2015 Vs 1965

2015

Major shifts in attitudes and values since the 1960s:

• The Equality Act in 2010 meant any discrimination was illegal
• Britain was a far more multicultural country
• Attitudes towards sexuality were far more accepting

Key Events:

• Blackberry Riots
• Brexit
• Trump Election
• UKIP Influence
• Asylum seekers/refugees
• Hacking
• Financial Crash of 2008
• Blair, May, Corbyn

The Threat of Terrorism:

• Afghanistan War
• Syrian War
• Isis
• Terror attacks in the UK
• Korean Nuclear Capability

Youth Culture:

• Social Media
• I-Phone
• Drug culture
• Knife crime
• Rap Music
• Video Game Violence/Obsession
• Streaming

Human Rights:

• Third Wave Feminism
• Black Lives Matter 
• oscarssowhite
• Refugees and tolerance. 

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

There are clear differences between a police drama from 2015 compared to one from 1965 in representations of characters. This could more specifically be: sexuality, gender, religion, age and class. A main difference in representation was gender inequality as back in 1965 there was a lot of inequality in men and women. For example less women were in tv shows like The Avengers than men and even if they were in the show women were presented as sex objects. There was also next to no women lead roles they were always the sidekick to men, presented as housewives or assistants. This is a huge contrast to 2015 where we see a show like Cuffs where the lead role is a women (Jo Moffat). With that, you would she is presented as a strong and powerful leader. 

Furthermore, there is also a difference in threats and issues. In 2015 the main treats and issues was terrorism, changes in youth culture and human rights. More specifically racism, sexism, advances in social media and the Afghanistan and Syrian war. These types of threats and issues could be the main focus points in a 2015 show especially a police drama as it could be involved in their everyday lives. Whereas in an 1965 police drama show threats and issues would be different so they effect the storylines of the show. There were similar issues like the Cold War and threats of a nuclear war which has effected the show The Avengers and its storyline.

Finally, potential storylines of the 2015 show Cuffs could be surrounding the threats and issues. So this could be feminism, inequality in the workplace for example. Or the show could in issues racism or religion which could be some of the main plot lines as these were important issues at the time. However potential storylines of a 1965 show could be similar as most of the problems like racism and sexism which occurred in 2015 also occurred even more in 1965. So the storylines could be the same because the same types of issues occurred. 

Wednesday 3rd March 2021

Television Industry: 2010s

Learning Objective:

- to explore the TV Industry in 2010s and the effect on TV shows and audiences.

The TV Industry

How many channels are there available to watch for free on UK TV?

-100 free TV channels with no monthly fee apart from TV licence.

What different ways are there to watch TV now?

- Through a TV licence, stream/downloads

What would make you want to watch a new TV series?

- If its interesting to me and I have the time to watch it.

What different methods do producers use to keep audiences interested in a show?

- If for example its a show with episodes released weekly, producers may put a cliff hanger at the end of the episodes to keep people interested in the show to continue watching next week.  

Cuffs

Trailer Notes:

• Already action type music in the background whilst showing police officers.
• Showing day to day lives of police officers and what they have to do. 
• They talk about the responsibility the officers have.
• Shows what it is like to be a police officer from their point of view as we as the public see it from ours 'no respect from the public'.
• Looks very action filled possibly a different crime to solve each episode.
• Shows the high demands of a police officer in the 21st century. 

What elements did the producers choose to include and why?

- They included a lot of action because viewers are always interested in this as it keeps them gripped. As well they included as possible love interest for one of the characters, this allows viewers to have a storyline to follow. Also they have made it as much like British policing as they can so viewers at home can relate to this aspect. 

How have they represented police life?

- They have presented police life as quite challenging, they have no respect because they keep things in line. As well they are always in smart uniform always. They are shown to be very busy as there is always something going on that needs to be fixed. It is also shown to be a quite hard job with no respect from the majority. 

How have they represented personal dramas?

- They have done this through personal struggled when working in the police for as well through relationships as see in the trailer. 

How have they used Media Language (editing, sound, mise-en-scene and camerawork) to make it appeal to the target audience?

- They have edited main action scenes together and parts were the most interesting drama is happening, this appeals to an audiences as it gets them interested as its not just the officers in an office they are out and taking action. Action filled shows appeal to audiences as it keeps them gripped on what might happen and they editing is quick and fast paced from one scene to another making viewers of the trailer come back and watch again what they missed. The sound is also like action music very fast paced that reflects the type of show and keeps viewers watching as  they recognise when they action is at its most based on the music so that when they watch. In this case however it is throughout with the sound choice. Mise-en-scene is used in the uniform, they are all presented very smart in uniform contrasting the people who they arrest who are wearing the opposite. Viewers would recognise this and see what it is like for a police officer in the UK. Also they are often out in different English place i.e. town , field this would be familiar and almost a normal setting to viewers therefore it appeals to the target audience. Camerawork follows the action so reflects on it. When the man is talking about policing it is very serious which is reflected in straight camerawork. Whereas when there is action there are more canted angle shots which reflect on the scene.

Scheduling and Cuffs 

• Cuffs - part of the winter schedule in 2015 as it aired in October of 2015 so is typically aimed at wider family audiences. e.g. apprentice and strictly. 
• Scheduling - broadcasted 8pm on a weekday which is peak viewing time. 
• Pre-watershed - targeted a broad family audience of 16-65, similar to Casualty and Waterloo Road. 
• Offered a range of characters and storylines to appeal to as many segments of demographic as possible. 
• 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. Storyline tend to be covered superficially and lack depth of darker post-watershed series like Luther or Sherlock. 

Production and Cuffs

The BBC is expected to encourage competition for producing programmes, as part of its remit, so many programmes are produced by independent companies. 

What production values would you expect from the BBC?

- 'We're independent, impartial and honest. We put audiences at the heart of everything we do. We respect each other and celebrate our diversity. We take pride in delivering quality and value for money.' 

Tiger Aspect production has a long track record in both comedy and quality drama: Peaky Blinders, Benidorm, Ripper Street, Bad Education, Robin Hood, The Vicar of Dibley, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme and Murphy's Law.  

The BBC wanted a programme to replace Waterloo Road, whose audiences were declining. The slot - 8pm on a 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 offered 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 offered 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 the BBC's successful serial hospital dramas - Casualty and Holby City. 

Passive vs Active Audiences

Explain the difference between passive and active audiences and give examples.

- Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist, explored how people make sense of media texts and claimed audiences were active not passive. With that, an active audience engages, interprets and responds to a media text in different ways and is capable of challenging the ideas encoded in it. For example, people who are the active audience, comment on social media content to express opinions. They form opinions and pay full attention to the show. Whereas, a passive audience is more likely to accept the messages encoded in a media text without challenge and are therefore more likely to be directly affected by the messages. For example, they are people who just watch the show and accept what happens (media texts) usually in commercial television programmes. They accept the opinions and pay little attention, they don't put all their attention into the show they multitask. 

Explain how the audiences for The Avengers and Cuffs would have been very different and why.

- The audiences for each show would have been very different main because of the year they were released. The Avengers was released in 1965 and Cuffs was released in 2015. This is a huge time frame where there has been mainly developments in technology and media. However the main cause for the shows being very different would have been social media, which would've not been around during The Avengers release in 1965 but was around when Cuffs was released in 2015. Social media allowed a contrast in the types of audiences these shows had. For example The Avengers audiences would have been a passive audience who just accepted what happened and moved on. They would've spent very little of their time engaged with the show apart from when they actually watched it. After watching it they would've move on, possibly be existed for next week but just go back to their jobs or school accepting what happened. Whereas, Cuffs a show released in 2015 would've had social media which would've made their audiences a active audiences. This is because after watching the show people could write on social media about the show and their opinions on what happen in that episode. People would almost do this instantly after the show finished that night, expressing their opinions to as people through social media. This type of active audience causes drama and arguments which is what the active audiences look for when they write on social media. They engage as much as they can with the show, interpreting it and challenging it. So the two shows, Cuffs and The Avengers would have varied very much with audiences mainly because of the year they were released and social media. Social media impacts the shows audiences on whether they are passive or active audiences which once identifies shows how very different these shows audiences are. 

Why did the producers of Cuffs use the following to target a mainstream family audience:

• Comedy elements
• A range of multicultural characters
• Authentic locations
• Exciting police procedural scenes

Cuffs used comedy elements to target mainstream family audiences. Comedy is liked and enjoyed by the majority of viewers so this was an easy way to gain view and people to watch weekly because they enjoy the comedy side of the show. As well to a family watching, comedy is something they can all enjoy together and laugh together which brings the family side closer to the show and each other. Shows with comedy would also used laughing tracks which is recorded laughing to play when something funny is said on the show. This is a psychological trick to views as when they hear laughing it makes them want to laugh, sweetening the comedy. We see it in many shows with the overall goal is to make the show funnier than it actually is. Comedy also allows audiences to relate to the content in the shows to society. As family audiences may have similar views about the comedy elements of the show. 

The producers of Cuffs also used a range of multicultural characters to target mainstream families. They do this so the show can relate to all cultures of families watching at home. Through having a range of multicultural characters it promotes the social media and shows that this shows represents all cultures. Producers do this to show the support the show has for all cultures which makes to show look good especially to active audiences who will write about it on social media. 

Furthermore, Cuffs also uses authentic locations to target to mainstream families. Again this allows them to relate to the show by seeing places they may go often or recognise from their town. By showing this audiences feel more connected to the show as its places they recognise so they feel like home when watching. 

Finally, Cuffs also uses exciting police procedural scenes. These scenes are full of action that will keep viewers gripped. Also for families seeing exciting police procedural scenes would be something new they have may never seen before which makes it exciting look watch making it more interesting to viewers. They can see how policing is done which is like the way their local police would do their jobs, so this gives them an insider to a different area of life they have not looked into before. 

Monday 8th March 2021

TV Drama

Learning Objective:

- to explore the conventions of Police Dramas.

- to analyse TV drama using theoretical framework.

Conventions of Police Dramas:

• If the show has many episodes and seasons with short episodes each episode there would be a new crime to solve following the same type of storyline each episode, where are crime has been committed and the protagonist has to try and solve the crime which is then revelled who the murderer is. For example Line of Duty.
• If the show has less episodes but longer and one season the show will build up throughout. For example The Undoing.
• British crime dramas are usually set in a normal British town which appeals to an audience as the set could be similar to their town.
• There is usually a main protagonist with a sidekick who is less experienced so looks up to the protagonist. 
• They will make the show as realistic as possible to appeal to the audiences as they can relate the storyline to their life which makes them want to watch and talk about it. 
• They all have lots of information which can lead you on way then the next which keeps the audiences gripped. 
• Police dramas always keep you gripped about the possibilities of who done it. 

Difference of Police Drama from Two Different Times:

• There would be differences in the role of female characters as there as be developments in equality in film and tv from a older decade to now. 
• There also may be differences in the types of crimes committed as today there would be more cyber crime where as decades ago we wouldn't see this type of crime.

Life on Mars

Media Language - the protagonists are wearing smart clothes, not necessary uniform which shows the show not very serious that they always have to be in uniform. Also through wearing their own clothes it shows the character of the person more through their style on what type of person they are. 

Representations - 

Audiences - older audiences will recognise the 70's style of clothes, cars and place design and younger audiences will recognise the type of language they use in what they say and the clothes they wear. 

Industry - 

Wednesday 10th March 2021

TV Drama

Learning Objective:

- To explore the conventions of Police Drama.

- To analyse TV Drama using the Theoretical Framework. 

Cuffs - Season 1 Episode 1 Full Episode

Media Language - All the police uniform shows them to be strong and harder to conquer. Jake and Ryan symbolises a specific storyline where the go from hate to friends as the show progresses and Ryan training Jake to be a better officer which we see progress throughout the show following a common storyline where the experienced officer helps the new chiefs son. 

Representations - Jake is the new character which develops to be a better officer with the help of a more experienced officer Ryan. Jake is learning from the more experienced officers around him as we see sequences in slow motion. Jake is shown to be weak which we may see change as the show progresses. 

Audiences - almost all British audiences will recognise the Brighton locations as this is a common holiday destination so they can see what is it like for police is a popular place like Brighton especially in summer. 

Industry - The police organisations is presented as very organised everything needs to happen perfectly at the right time for things to work out well. 

Social - We see multiple examples of things that we don't know about that happen on a daily basis in a police office. Social factors that affect the daily lives of the police. 

Cultural - As someone in a corner shop gets attacked the owners feels he is being treated unfair as it took the police longer to get to his needs than the boy who got attacked therefore he doesn't speak as he feels he is being treated unfairly due to his race. 

Historical - Historical factors may have an influence on the amount of female to male characters. Even though this is more than in a 60's show like Cuffs still for every 2 male characters there is one female character.

Political - There is always controversial ideas between the public and police it is rare where the public will agree to the polices actions and choices. The police don't get very good benefits to their job and are treated bad by the public as the are seen to be people who make things better ruining people fun. 

The Narrative (storyline) - we are introduced to a new character who is younger and the chiefs son, stereotypically why he got the job. This new officer, Jake, is partnered with more experiences police officer Ryan. There is about 4 storylines which different characters follow and they all cross over another at one point. This keeps this show busy and interesting with plenty of actions to keep audiences interested. Some of the storylines get solved in this episode others carry on throughout the season. 

The Characters - Ryan Draper: an experienced officer, very strict takes his job seriously and enjoys it, Jake: the new officer, son of the chief, unsure of his job at the moment, doesn't understand how things are done. Jake struggles with being in the police to start with he doesn't really know what to do this sets up the show for Ryan training him to be better. 

How the Episode Shows the Social and Cultural Context (mid 60's) - Past police encounters and developments in the 60's may effect how the police force is today and how the show plays out. For example in a show like The Avengers we see one female lead character Peel where as in Cuffs we see two Jo and Donna. However in Cuffs there is more of a female character lead based on posters with Jo in the middle but in the show we see more screen time of Jake and Ryan.

Audience Appeal - they work in Brighton as seen by extreme long birds eye view shots of the beach, most British audiences will recognise this as a holiday place which in the summer may be the main source of crime that needs to be solved. 

Wednesday 17th March 2021

Monday 22nd March 2021

Cuffs: Series 1 Episode 1

Learning Objective:

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

Main Characters:

• PC Ryan Draper - experienced officer who takes his job very seriously and is very passionate about the job. We see this when Jake makes a mistake when they are teamed to try and catch a runaway car, after he is angry at Jake saying he doesn't know what he is doing which is true. Also before this he is angry as the criminal car is getting away he is hitting the wheel in frustration and anger that he didn't catch the criminal. This suggests he cares a lot about catching the criminals meaning he catches almost every criminal assigned to him.  Disliked that he is put with the bosses son as he worked hard to get there whereas Jake didn't. He cares a lot about makes things right with the public. We see him care about his son and his school and well-being as we see in the scene where is stops him and his friends when they are not in school. With that, we see later Ryan back at home with his two kids and because of what happened earlier in the show Ryan has made him study. This suggests he cares about his children doing well in school to work hard like he has to become a police officer. High morals - tells his son to go back to school shouting at him in front of his friends embarrassing.
• PC Jake Vickers - new, naive, unexperienced however son of the chief - the reason he got the job so young and without working hard making him unexperienced. As well is shocked by the work he has to do based on the first place they go first to help out a man. Gay character as a protagonist which is rare and definitely something you wouldn't see on a 60's show like The Avengers. Eager to please, do his job well to be liked however he his scared as he is unexperienced. Jake doesn't do very well to start - speaking to the first guy wrong, not knowing roads therefore not catching the getaway car, not handcuffing the women in the street, but he redeems himself when he saves Ryan from the racist criminal further on. 
• DS Jo Moffat - very serious about her job, she wants to do her best to make thing right. She is in charge, strong, successful well respected and independent. She is passionate about catching a criminal throughout the episode which she ends up catching which makes her resilient. Her weakness is the Chief compared to her strong side. Other police look up to her so he is inspiring. They listen to her, she is the boss and they police respect that. They go to catch the racist criminal without backup, desperate not to lose her chance to catch him. 
• Chief Super Robert Vickers - father to Jack which means he will always recognise him a better than Ryan although he is not. Cold hearted favours his son, balances a lot of things (family, affair, work) suggesting he is strong character. He rarely shows emotion. 
• DI Felix Kane - saves the little girl and is quite about it, suggesting he is humble about his work, just does his job and stays quiet about it. Quietly effective. 
• PC Lino Moretti - side character. experienced but have a laugh and jokes with Donna is equal partner. Comical, young side, likes the excitement, comedy relief character for audiences as they are dealing with serious things. A lot of meals during lunch break. 
• PC Donna Prager - side character. secure in her job, comical and confident, effective officer when she is running after someone. She is Lino's equal and almost better than Jo as we haven't seen her weakness yet. Again cares about her job as we see her unhappy when they don't catch the runaway car however tries to make things right with the other car they accidentally caught.
• DC Carl Hawkins - quite hot-headed happy to run into a situation, hands-on, not aggressive but strong. Optimistic when he goes to catch the racist criminal. 

Why might this programme have appealed to the audiences at the time?

Storyline - introduced the character straight into the action and their day to day lives. Further on we are introduced to multiple storylines which different characters deal with to solve. This makes the show less boring as it keeps the audience interested in the show as it is not the same storyline all the time. 

Setting - by the seaside somewhere like Brighton. Seems like the story is real. With the setting by the beach the is more crime to deal with as it is a well populated place where many people go especially in the summer when it is a tourist destination for British people all over the country. 

Overall Tone/Appeal - action filled with different types of crime. 

Audience Appeals (U and G)

• Personal Identity
• Information
• Entertainment
• Social Interaction

Personal Identity (U and G)

• Wide range of characters to identify with. - this means the show can relate to a wider audience, gaining more views. For example, the may see a gay character like Jake and relate to him working hard and strong female characters like Jo and Donna as female leaders which young girls can look up to especially with Jo being the boss telling males lower down in the ranks what to do and them listening and being respected. 
• Characters such as Ryan Draper and Donna Prager as role models. - these are hard working characters that care a lot about there job and doing well to gain respect and a higher viewing and a great officer. We see this is the shouting and hitting the wheel from Ryan when he doesn't catch the runaway car and Donna throws her hands up in the air when they don't catch them. This shows to audiences they should care about their job as it has benefits as we see in Ryan and Donna. 
• Empathise the difficult job of the police in the face of public indifference. - viewers may see this and think they are a problem making the job of the police hard or some else they know is. This can also make them gain more respect for the police as they learn how hard their job really is because of a frustrating public. 
• May enjoy seeing gay characters as key protagonists who are not defined by their sexuality. - Jake is known as the new officer or the Chief's son not from being gay which is rare in a show as gay characters are usually more open about their sexuality with may be something not commonly seen by audiences. 
• Can explore/reinforce their own values through those celebrated by the programme: teamwork, comradeship, dedication to duty. - shows that when they work together as a team more things can be achieved. 

Information (U and G)

• Social realism offers a sense of informing the audience about police work and the criminal world. - we see racism with the boy being killed in a shop using close up shots, police were not respected in 2015 as we see in the opening scene. Mental health is presented as bad with the guy at the beginning who has not got much support showing a lack of funding for mental health.

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

Entertainment (U and G)

• Escape into fictional world of police team. - gives audiences a slightly realistic/unrealistic show. 
• Take pleasure from seeing characters in danger, solving conflict and facing challenges. - gives audiences adrenaline. In the raid scene it is a dangerous situation, dangerous characters, don't listen to instructions, add tension as they break the rules, shown in slow motion emphasising danger. Close up n the weapons, lots of action, fight scene, threats made.  
• Feel reassured by the hard work and dedication of the police team. - as the show is slightly realistic it makes audiences feel safe that this is there actual police team the is protecting them. 
• Enjoy seeing the police team's personal lives and the ways their jobs interfere with their relationships.
• Enjoy the humour, action and suspense. - good combination of genres that appeal to multiple audiences which allows the show to gain views. 

Social Interaction 

• May feel part of the team - substitute for real life
• Build personal relationship with the character, forgiving weakness and admiring strengths - almost a substitute for real life interaction.
• Enjoy discussing episodes; therefore friends and co-workers would feels left out if not seen. - discussing the show makes people feel left out therefore they want to watch the show which makes it gain views. 
• Might use social media to comment about the programme. - somewhere people could make comments about the episode people just watched. 

Wednesday 24th March 2021

Cuffs and Social Contexts

Learning Objective:

- to analyse representation and influence of social and cultural contexts in Cuffs.

How was a stereotypical English seaside town represented in episode 1?

Consider:

• Characters - Ryan is presented as weak and useless when trying to deal with the situation. Chief Super Robert Vickers is speaking over as the action happens. 
• Props - Costume the group of men wear causes the fight on the beach. Nudist beach sign.
• Character interaction - bad interaction between Ryan and the public because of the lack of respect. While we hear the Chief talking about law, order and expectations the police bring we see the complete opposite with Ryan at the beach outnumbered and out of control. The stag do mock Ryan showing no respect until they punch him and run. 
• Dialogue - Police radio heard in the background. 
• Stereotypes - the public not respecting the police. Stereotypical stag do. Chief is talking seriously senior police officer who is the face of the respected police as he say but they are actually not respected as shown in the parallel of Ryan at the beach. Young characters in the scene which is stereotypical for the stag do to automatically go there. It is also a very sunny day. 

Use a aerial wide establishing shot zoomed in to set the location. 

Gender

Strong roles for women reflect gender equality - shown through characters Jo and Donna.

A change in attitude towards masculinity. Different male roles presented in a positive light. - show through DI Felix Kane - quiet, approachable, reserved.

Traditional 'masculine' and 'feminine' qualities no longer reserved for particular genders. - DS Jo Moffat gets involved with the house raid breaking these stereotypical qualities. 

How are the women represented?

DS Jo Moffat -very serious about her job, she wants to do her best to make thing right. She is in charge, strong, successful well respected and independent. She is passionate about catching a criminal throughout the episode which she ends up catching, making her resilient. Her weakness is the Chief compared to her strong side. Other police look up to her so she is inspiring. They listen to her, she is the boss and they police respect that. They go to catch the racist criminal without backup, desperate not to lose her chance to catch him. She is represented as weak when she hesitates about leading the press conference on the racist attack but strong during the raid. She is shown to have weaknesses compared to Donna who is shown to have none which may suggest the age difference, Jo may still have a stereotypical women side which is not shown with Donna. 

PC Donna Prager - side character. secure in her job, comical and confident, effective officer when she is running after someone. She is Lino's equal and almost better than Jo as we haven't seen her weakness yet. Again cares about her job as we see her unhappy when they don't catch the runaway car however tries to make things right with the other car they accidentally caught. She has not yet shown a weakness suggesting her young age and character overall reflects on the modern view of women in 2015 where they are equal to men with no weakness showing strong characteristics. 

How are men represented?

Chief Superintendent Vickers - Cold hearted, balances a lot of things (family, affair, work) suggesting he is strong character. He rarely shows emotion. A traditional representation of masculinity as the dominant, controlling male whose job it is to keep his team of detectives and police officers in line. Represented as authoritative and patriarchal in both work and personal life. 

PC Jake Vickers - Not shown as a stereotypical man, very naive, inexperienced, too confidant overall he is weak compared to his father. However he is dedicated to his job and doing well. Gay character as a protagonist which is rare and definitely something you wouldn't see on a 60's show like The Avengers. Eager to please, do his job well to be liked however he his scared as he is unexperienced. Jake doesn't do very well to start - speaking to the first guy wrong, not knowing roads therefore not catching the getaway car, not handcuffing the women in the street, but he redeems himself when he saves Ryan from the racist criminal further on. 

PC Lino Moretic - the comical character, he is always eating which is an ongoing joe. However he is an experienced officer and when he has to he takes his job seriously and is well respected despite being the comical character. 

Robert Vickers - stereotypical - authoritative patriarchal. 

Jake Vickers - anti-stereotypical - naive, strong, confident, emotional.

Lino Moretti - stereotypical - comical, always eating, confrontational.

Carl Hawkins - stereotypical - goes in with the raid, aggressive, confrontational.

Felix Kane - anti-stereotypical - quiet, humble, calm, sensitive.

Ryan Draper - anti-stereotypical - single parent, emotional when angry with Jake, determined, focus, caring. 

Sexuality 

Visibility of LGBT characters increased and accepted representations. - Jake and the solicitor. Responsible and successful, secondary to their jobs in their sexuality. 

Jake Vickers' character challenges the stereotype of homosexuality being an issue or problem. 

Multiculturalism

Positive view of multiculturalism reflects 2015 attitudes. - family boy who has moved to the UK university,

Differences in ethnicity are accepted - yes by the police and the main characters as from varied ethnic backgrounds.

Racism still exists in Britain - racist group attack a shop and kill a boy.

Racist group represented very negatively - uneducated, white WC, drink and drugs.

The powerful anti-racist message reflects society attitudes in 2015 - racism is outdated.

Wednesday 31st March 2021

The Avengers Town of No Return

Learning Objective:

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

The Narrative (storyline how does it create enigma codes? How does it follow Todorov's narrative theory?) - it creates enigma codes through building on the mystery of the town from Steed talking about it on the train and a mysterious pub, they head teacher is suspicious about Peel but the inspector steps in saying it would be great if Peel stays which creates enigma codes as they did not expect Peel. When Steed is in the room he is confused and suspicious of why everything is dusty like it hasn't been used suggesting no one goes by 'not welcoming people'. They get close to finding out what is outside as the windows are locked shut but the pub owner gets in the way creating suspense in how they get so close but are stopped. Also there is no one singing in the church it is like a recording. Again Steed tries to leave but is stopped by the pub owner building enigma codes, Steed and Peel are suspicious about the teachers at the school

The Characters (Stereotypes) - Peel is the teacher not Steed, the pub owner chatting getting drinks, the vicar 

How the episode shows the social and cultural context (the mid 60s issues - age, gender, ethnicity) - they go to the beach/a little town for a holiday on a train something people did commonly in the 60's. 

Audience Appeal (what makes the audience want to watch it, mise-en-scene, camerawork etc) - it interesting then as they are desperate to find out what happens, low camera angle shows the brother with the church in the background, moving camera angle shows the dogs getting chasing the visiting brother then catching him, possibly killing him, camera angle from the binoculars, people could identify with the character of Steed as an 'english gent'

'hope he is alright' - foreshadowing

Personal Identity - emphasis on the upper-class role models, explore their own vales and views, Steed in the typical english gent people identify with which has come from world war 2 as he fought in that war, equal and intelligent female character 

Steed - traditional James Bond figure, reliable, strong, dependent, reminds those who fought in WW2 as Steed fought. Those who know someone who fought and died in WW2.

Peel - married women were expected to be, has a career, strong, independent, powerful, aspiration, reflects new generation

Information - about the world and upper class and espionage/spies, feel reassured that there were highly capable agents protecting Britain from a foreign threat. 

Entertainment - enjoy escapist plots, de-stress by losing themselves in this world, hero's situations and how they escape with style, humour and sophistication, enjoy the danger that repeats every week know what will happen.

Social Interaction - Family event, everyone watched it together, discuss after

Monday 19th April 2021

Analysing an Extract

Learning Objective:

- to analyse the use of media language on a TV drama extract.

Key Terminology

Camerawork:

• Establishing Shots - long shots at the start of a scene establishing location and tone
• Low Angle - looking up at the subject e.g. 'worm's eye view'
• High Angle - looking down on the subject
• Canted Angle - camera tilted to one side to create diagonals 
• Aerial Shots - 'bird's eye view' from above the subject 
• Tracking - camera moves towards, away from or sideways alongside the subject
• Steadicam - smooth hand-held camera movement, my flow around a scene 
• Crane Shots - camera rises into the air, descends or swoops across a scene
• Hand-Held Camera - often creates juddering, urgent camerawork like a documentary
• Point of View Shots - camera sees what a character sees, not over-the-shoulder shots
• Shallow Focus and Focus Pulls - shallow focus means that one part of the shot is in focus and another isn't; a focus pull will change which part of the shot is in focus

Editing:

• Shot/Reverse Shot - a cut between two characters showing both sides of an action including two characters, e.g. cutting from an over-the-shoulder shot of one character talking to an over-the-shoulder shot of the other character replying reacting or listening
• Juxtaposition - creating extra meaning by placing one image next to another
• Non-Continuity Editing - e.g. deliberate jump cuts, where the subject jumps position in the frame in cutting from one shot to the next, usually due to the two shots being from the same angle
• Crosscutting - cutting from one action in one location to another action in another location
• Fast-Paced Editing - short shots edited together rapidly
• Less Common Transitions - dissolve, wipe, fade
• Post-Production Effects - visual effects added after filming

Soundtrack:

• Music 
• Diegetic Sound/Non-Diegetic Sound - sound from within/from outside the fictional world; characters can 'hear' diegetic sound
• Sound Effects - Foley effects added after filming - footsteps, weather sounds, gun shots, car engines etc
• Sound Bridge - where sound effects, music or recording or ambient sound from one scene continue to the following even through there is a cut to a different location; also used when the sound from the next scene is heard before we see the scene.
• Voiceover 
• Parallel Sound - sound that complements the image track. Sound and image seem to reflect each other. 
• Contrapuntal Sound - sound that does not complement or fit with the image track
• Ambient Sound - buzz and/or surrounding sounds

Mise-en-Scene:

• High Key Lighting 
• Low Key Lighting - lighting creates dark shadows and extremes of light and shade 
• Costume and Make-Up
• Props
• Casting and Performance Style - the significance of casting may be explored by mentally replacing the actor with a different one; the performance style should by naturalistic in realistic dramas, for example
• Blocking (the composition of elements within the shot) - the composition of elements within the shot, especially the actors

How has sound been used to create meaning? (5)

• Ambient sounds of seagulls, waves and beach match the location emphasising setting. 
• Use of speech dialogue juxtaposed with non-diegetic sound
• Contrapuntal sounds of sinister non diegetic sound to build tension on an idyllic beach setting, suggesting the place is not normal and is mysterious 
• Theme music in the title credit is upbeat and modern but has a serious mysterious tone to suggest younger, dynamic tone and pace of the audiences and the storylines will be dynamic and different fast paced. 
• Non diegetic background music fades as characters begin to talk to show we need to listen to this conversation as it is important. 
• Non-diegetic sound is used to creates mystery 
• Positive theme tune 
• Sound effect/Ambient/Parallel sound of the beach - seagulls, wind, waves 
• Dialogue of speech uses to juxtapose the action an images being shown as the character emerges from the sea in a waterproof bag exiting in a suit an shoes. This is impossible so therefore is emphasised with the non-diegetic parallel sound as the fisherman does not address how odd this is by the characters having a normal conversation about the weather and direction this shows how light-hearted the show is.

Sound has been used to create meaning in the Avengers extract. They do this by using parallel and ambient sounds in the opening scene at the beach. This use of ambient, diegetic sound emphasises the location of beach, exaggerating the seagulls, wind and the waves of the beach. This suggests to an audience that this location is fairly pleasant and normal place with this use of sound effects. However this is juxtaposed against the non-diegetic background music. This non-diegetic sound is contrapuntal against the original parallel sound of the beach. The non-diegetic sound is creates mystery and suspicion to views as they would not expect this type of sound from a seemingly pleasant beach, further suggests the narrative of this episode will be strange an unpredictable. 

Furthermore, sound has been used to create meaning to views watching the Avengers extract. They do this through the use of non-diegetic mysterious sound as a man exists the sea in a waterproof bag. To viewers this is contrapuntal as they do not expect this however the music is parallel to the strange situation going on. As the character emerges he is seen wearing a suit which suggest to viewers that this show has strange scenes amongst a seemingly normal setting. They build the tension with this contrapuntal music suggesting this place is not normal. 

With this, we see the use of sound to create meaning in the use of dialogue juxtaposed against the mysterious diegetic music. The non-diegetic sound fades out as the characters begin to have a conversation. However the characters talk like normal after the man has exists the water suggesting this is normal to him as they do say about it. This gives us the idea of espionage with the mystery that is created in viewers desperate to know about this guy who exited the water. Leaving the readers desperate to watch on as the cliffhanger is built and the tension is there for the viewers. 

Wednesday 21st April 2021

How to structure a answer

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

Opening Sentence - 'Sound has been used to create meaning, the first example of this is...

Example - Theme music in the title credit is upbeat and modern but has a serious mysterious tone. This use of sound suggests that the episode will be aimed at a younger dynamic audience, through the use of fast paced and tone in the theme music. 

Parallel sound - both the image and the music reflect the tone of the episode

Contexts - reflects the younger generation - their individuality and increase in choices 

Context - In the 1960's we would expect the younger and older generation to come together to watch the episode. That means that the Theme music is used to help attract a younger audience. 

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

In the Avengers extract, sound has been used to create meaning. The first example of this is the diegetic, ambient sound of the seagulls and waves at the beach. This has been used parallel to the setting which emphasises the meaning of the setting to viewers. This suggests to the audience that the location is pleasant and normal, identifying the genre to creating meaning to the audience that this show is normal which gives the audiences something to relate to in the show. As it was common as many families in the 1960's went to the beach so they could relate as well people of all ages went to the beach as a family so the show is targeting the older and younger audience. However, further on in the extract we see this idea juxtaposed with the non-diegetic sounds after the man exits the beach. This switch in sounds builds tension and mystery to viewers as to them suddenly the normal, positive idea of the show is juxtaposed and changed with the suspenseful, drama show. This has now given another genre to the show of the spy drama with  the normal, humerus show. This allows the show to identify with a larger audience who like different dramas as families in the 1960's only had one TV everyone had to watch so by having more genres in one show they can appeal to the larger audience. Also the 1960's was a time where espionage was common so the spy aspect of the show relates to the viewers daily life. With that, in the 1960's many James Bond films were coming out so people could see the popular spy drama in a TV show as it was a common theme. 

normal, positive, humerus to spy, drama, espionage, tension, suspenseful 

Personal Identity (U and G):

• Could identify and empathise with the upper-class role models.
• Could explore and/or reinforce their own views and values. - smart but still fighting like James Bond
• Could identify with the 'English Gent' - Steed. Cool, calm and unruffled. --fighting the bad guys 
• Could identify with a tough, intelligent and equal female hero - Emma Peel.

Pastiche - a media product that imitates another product through visual style, media language or narrative. 

Information (U and G):

• Could gain information about the world of the upper class. 
• Could gain information about the world of espionage/spies.
• Could feel reassured that there were highly capable agents protecting Britain from a foreign threat. (Despite pastiche element).

Entertainment (U and G):

• Could enjoy the escapist plots.
• Could de-stress by losing themselves in Avengers' world. 
• Could enjoy the danger of the heroes' situations and how they escape with style, humour and sophistication. 
• Could enjoy the familiarity of the repetitive narratives; a different villain each week that the heroes defeat. 

Social Interaction (U and G):

• Could watch the programme together as a family (only have one TV per household).
• Would enjoy discussing episodes; friends and co-workers would feel left out if not seen.
• Could build a personal relationship with the familiar character of Steed and Peel - almost a substitute for real life interaction.
• A sense of Britishness gained in Britain and abroad from the programme. 

Talk about taking over country - full scale invasion bit by bit - wipe out population and replace it - talk about taking over village until they take over it all - cold war 

airport built in war with underground shelters - nuclear war 

threat of foreign invasion in the episode - the bad people - secretly hiding underground - trying to take over one town they expand.

they are spies - espionage - with the music used building up as they are walking through the tunnel

emma peel fighting with shakey camera shows powerful women  

too people stop the invasion - humorous with the hat joke 

3-4 paragraphs 

Explain how social contexts influences television programmes. Refer to The Avengers form 1965 to support your answer. (10)

In the Avengers extract we see the social impact of the cold war. We see this in the scene where Steed and Peel are talking in a classroom, solving the mystery of the town they are in. In the scene they are discussing about the secret organisation taking over the town then expanding to the country showing their spy skills through the episode gaining the understanding of this mystery to this point where they find the answer that the 'bad guys' are trying to wipe out the population and replace it with their own. In the scene we hear non-diegetic tension building music which is parallel to the scene and the use of a hand held camera which creates the urgency of the characters to get to the answer and fight. This scene relates to the 1960's with the concerns over the Cold War where Britain was at war with the Soviet Union as we see in the scene; a threat from a foreign country taking over. This has an exsiting effect on the viewers as it keeps the gripped, with them trying to also work out the mystery as this was a common theme of spy and mystery with many James Bond films coming out in the 1960's so this was a common for viewers. 

Wednesday 28th April

Context - The Avengers: The Town of No Return 

Learning Objective:

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

How was gender represented in Episode 1?

• Characters - Steed is represented as a typical English gentleman, Peel is represented as a strong woman. 
• Setting - 
• Props - Steed is wearing a bowl hat (typical English gentleman clothing) which is doubles as a weapon.
• Character Interaction - the male side characters who are from Little Bazley are represented as strong and intimidating.
• Dialogue - both male and female characters fight against the bad guys.
• Stereotypes - Peel is not a stereotypical female for the 1960s where as Steed is a stereotypical English gentleman. 

Exam Style Question

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

Media Language - camera, sound, mise en scene, editing 

Representation - how is something presented? 1960's? 

Audience - who is the audience? how does it attract the audience?

Industries - who makes this? when is it on?

Contexts - what is real life like at the time?

 Changing Attitudes: Gender

A new breed of tough, intelligent women

Seen through Mrs Peel - explaining to Steed in the school as she solves the problem, tough in the bunker as she fights back, not screaming and needed to be saved

Women as sex objects 

Seen through Mrs Peel - in the beginning with Steed as they are fencing Peel is wearing a cat suit. 

Ideological tension about gender roles in 1965 - 

Peel is anti-stereotypes as she overpowers Steed in the fencing match

Peel is a stereotype when Steed tells her to leave immediately for a mission without warning.

Peel is anti-stereotype when she fights back and when she solves the problem and is explaining it to Steed in the classroom. 

Peel is a stereotype 

Peel is a reactionary stereotype

Combines both to appeal to more audiences and so people are not as scared of her because she is a stereotype but also combines anti-stereotype making her non threatening as its ahead of its time, trying to make change. 

How was Media Language used to show the attitudes and values towards Gender in the 1960's?

Camerawork - specifically shows Mrs Peel in the doorbell (close-up),  follows Steed and Peel around the room as they are fencing shows Peel in the catsuit, (steady-can and tracking shots) camerawork of Peels house shows she is independently successful (establishing shot)  and is writing for Science Weekly. Mid-shots of Mrs Peel to start 

Mise-en-Scene - they are well rehearsed in the fencing around the room when Peel overpowers her but Steed wins through cheating. Peel is wearing a tight catsuit 1960's trend, sexualising her . cuts to them on  the train Peel is wearing stereotypical clothes, fashionable but not sexualised  compared to the cat suit showing two sides and so is Steed. On the train Steed is poring the drink rather that Peel the woman and he offers her a marzipan but she rejects which is stereotype, Steed corrects Peel about her fencing, Steed makes his own tea. Peel refused to carry bucket and spade stereotypical women and Steed tells her shes going to be the teacher not him 

Editing - build up the narrative throughout where other agents were not successful in Little Bazley but Peel is successful, a women. Cut to the train. 

Sound - positive romantic music tell us the flirty interaction between Steed and Peel, non-dietetic 

Media Language - inequality is females - Peel in a catsuit overpowers Steed in fencing match shows women increasing power in society 

Industries - post watershed undercurrents of sexual references, high budget, she was paid less than him and a cameraman

Audiences - humorous British manners/traditions eating a full tea and cakes on the train

Contexts - attitudes of foreigners relevant for the time

Representations - patriarchal society - Steed is a hero, Peel is in her catsuit is objectified as a women. 

How was Gender represented in the Avengers to reflect the attitudes and values of the 1960's? 

Gender is represented in the Avengers to reflect the attitudes and values of the 1960's through camerawork. This can be seen at the beginning of the extract when we see Steed ring Peel's doorbell and we see that Peel is married, 'Mrs Peel' as it says on the doorbell. This is shown through the camerawork of a close-up of the doorbell which is used to highlight the importance of the fact that Peel is married. This links to audiences as they would be surprised Peel is married, especially in contract to her flirty character with Steed. This is anti-stereotype to tv shows in the 1960s's as it means Peel would be considered less of a sex object to audiences as she is already married. So, this close-up of Peels married name in the beginning of the extract tell audiences that she is already married so they'll see her as less of a sex object and focusing more on her intelligence and power. This is anti-stereotype to the 1960's as women were expected to be seen as sex objects on tv for men but this contrasts this idea by making Peel married. With this, audiences 

Furthermore, gender is represented in the Avengers through the character of Peel to reflect the an stereotypical character compared to the attitudes and values of the the 1960's. This is shown in the extract through mise-en-scene as the camera crosscuts from Peels apartment to the train. This uses mise-en-scene after the crosscut through the type of fashion Peel is wearing, a very fashionable style. Audiences can relate to this style/costume of Peel as it was popular in the 1960's which allows audiences to relate to the character of Peel overall. This is a stereotypical women's style for the 1960's which is furthered in how Peel rejects food from Steed which is a very stereotypical lady-like character. Audiences could enjoy relating to this style as they see it or wear it often or industries could choose to give Peel this costume as audiences idolise her so would copy her style making them buy it. However this is juxtaposed in how Steed is pouring the tea which is anti-stereotypical as women in the 1960's are stereotypically meant to do all the housework for the man.