Grade boundaries TV Drama

A 40/50
B 35/50
C 30/50
D 25/50
E 20/50
U <20

Feedback comments

Link AEE to EX

Exemplar answer

Note taking advice for the TV drama exam - read over

Note taking – have your answer booklet open, ready to use.

Key Questions during the first screening:

1. What are the units of drama (or sequences)?
2. Who are the key REPRESENTATION characters?
3. Is representation of (see question) positive, negative or sympathetic for any group?
4. Is the style of verisimilitude (naturalism) used? If not, what is - and why?

At the end of the first screening, start to make a list of the units of drama. Don’t leave spaces for notes – you will do this in the gap between screenings 2 and 3 – but allow a little room to add in any units you have forgotten. During the second screening, tick off the units you have written down and add any that you missed.

Key questions during the second screening

1. Who are the key STATUS characters? Does status change? Why?
2. When does the non-diegetic music start and stop? Why?
3. Is the camera stable or unstable? Does it change? Why?
4. Look for unusual camera shots – eg low angles, tilts, bird’s eyes?
5. Are there any obvious editing sequences – eg montages, shot-reverse-shot, transitions other than cuts?

At the end of the second screening, in the five minute gap, do the following:

1. Check your list of drama units and re-write them down the left hand margin of one or two blank pages in your answer book using landscape format. Leave 4 or 5 lines between each unit.
2. Write Camera Editing Sound MES mise en scene

as columns across the top of each page you use.

3. Check you have answers to all of the key questions for screenings 1 & 2 above.
4. Write a couple of sentences describing the overall representation message.

During the third screening

1. Fill in detail notes on your grid for drama units 1, 3, 5 etc.
2. This will allow you to finish your notes for drama unit 1 whilst unit 2 is on etc.

During the fourth screening

3. Fill in detail notes on your grid for drama units 2, 4, 6 etc.
4. This will allow you to finish your notes for drama unit 2 whilst unit 3 is on etc.

Finally, scan your notes grid and key questions to make sure you know what techniques really construct the representation of (see question) as positive, negative, sympathetic or unsympathetic. This will be your conclusion!

Essay structure

When you write the essay, follow the units of drama (sequences), commenting on each of the elements (the four bullet points). You do not have to give a separate sentence to each element: if you are writing about eg the third unit of drama, you could write a sentence that covers two or three elements if they are clearly linked in the way they contribute to meaning.

Do not write an introduction – go straight into the answer. Open your essay with comment on the first shot we see. Usually this is an establishing long shot – but not always.

Finish your essay with a brief conclusion summing up whether the representation of this group is positive or negative throughout the extract, linking briefly to key moments of technique that make this message come across.

Essay Writing Tips

Mise-en-scene Analysis

Video example - Children of Men

Use the questions to analyse the meaning of the mise-en-scene, what does it tell us about the

• Location where and when it is set
• The characters - what type of people are they
• The story - what does it tell you about the situation
• How it constructs 'realism' convincing for the story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCTgUq6hzUk

The relate this to Representation of Gender/Age/Region/Class/Ethnicity/Disability)

Analysis example - In depth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kB8OeULzkQ

Sound analysis - themes warm up

1. What is being represented (age, gender, class, region, ethnicity) by the choice of soundtrack - why?

2. When & where is it set?

3. What type of drama - crime, youth, period, hospital, adventure, soap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4GRPkND900&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUT07eZoXPw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ws1x2e2ZJk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAthknpt7TM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlqOuzkgIy0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhUW8B_SE5k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pipSjVC4eU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PryYddrHBSE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSGEz2Vbowg

Analysis Prep for exam - Individual consider aspects Gender

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo7VoFlqexQ

timed essay group 1 - Sound

timed essay group 2 - Edit

timed essay group 3 - Camera

timed essay group 4 - Mise - en - scene

‘Male’ Gender Traits	‘Female’ Gender Traits
Independent	Dependent
Rational	Irrational
Rough	Gentle
Nasty	Nice
Brave	Cowardly
Insensitive	Sensitive
Aggressive	Placid
Competitive	Co-operative
Physical	Emotional
Disobedient	Obedient
Active	Passive
Unhappy	Happy
Assertive	Unassertive
Confident	Unconfident
Uncaring	Caring

see questions

to clarify the tasks for today

1. read & research using links provided for Camera analysis questions for meaning on blog

2. watch the dr who clip with black section - listen to dialogue & read script on blog

3 anotate script on blog with your shot list - shot type, angle, movement

4 storyboard each shot - composition, proxemic codes, shot rev shot etc

5 write 150 word commentary analysing your storyboard decisions create meaning - DIFFERENCE & POWER between 2 characters & how represent GENDER

6 Analyse original sequence on youtube using the questions for all 4 technical areas (cam, edit, mise, sound) for gender min 2 sides A4 hand written

7. submit by tomorrows lesson

3 hrs work

Work for today

Hi All

Unfortunately I am not in today

Here is the set work

I would like you to spend today focusing on your analysis skills of camera & editing

1. Look over the links I have recently posted to which will demonstrate different types of camera techniques and consider how they construct meaning (eg high angle = small weak, subjegated)

Then look over the questions under camera analysis

• composition
• shot type
• angle
• movement

2. I would like you then IN GROUPS OF 2 to look over the Dr Who script i have posted & write a shot list describing the angle, shot type and movement to construct the representation gender in the scene

If you look on the desktop on the machines you will find a movie file of the sequence with a section blacked out so you can hear the dialogue & music but not see the shots & mise en scene - this is the section i would like you to do - Connie has seen this lesson and can hopefully help you out.

There is a file under TV drama clips called Girl Who Waited mp4 it is on most of the macs copy it across


Here is a link to the youtube version -- PLEASE DO NOT WATCH PAST  4.15 AS THIS IS THE SECTION YOU ARE DOING & THIS WOULD BE CHEATING http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKs7EFbNJU4

3. I would the like you to storyboard your shots - there are some white square post-it notes on my desk. Ensure you cover the basics like COMPOSITION - where the characters are in the frame (close/distant/seperated) & SHOT REV SHOT with looking room.

4. Use the list on the Camera questions to write a 150 word commentary on your decisions using the questions
Draw these & photograph them, uploading them onto Final Cut - use Youtube for help with this.
5. Write an Analysis of the original sequence using the Camera, Sound, Mise-en-scene & Editing Questions on the blog and post on your individual TV drama blog or hand in written tomorrow. This will be marked so do a good job.

Good luck

Mr.B

Editing Analysis - learning resources for analysis

Continuity Editing Techniques -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xauSCz1mEk

Ellipsis - compressing time usually using cuts - 'Life with the dull bits cut out' - A. Hitchcock http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyKBSy6rgdY&feature=related

Juxtaposition - placing of shots next to each other to create meaning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6zi-ffqs7U

Shot duration - Cut rate & rhythm - pace

Shot Rev Shot - see your preliminary task (how to edit a conversation with looking room)

Eyeline Match - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji-Ch8hEHlI&NR=1

Cross cutting - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQLpwDPeu10

Slow Motion - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrHWGEO7oh8&feature=related

180 deg rule - see your preliminary task

Match on Action - see your preliminary task

Motivated Cut - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNpQJ5w0Wkg

Jump Cut - explanation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVlZjJfXYfU
Fight Club example: - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVWh9qQYTHU&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLED3BEE9F0089CEB3 1.27

Camera Analysis of Meaning Revision

Technical aspects to consider in your analysis

Composition - where objects and people are positioned in the frame.

Think about the space in between people - what could this mean about their relationship?

Who is closer to the camera/bigger in the shot (takes up more room) - what could this say about power?

Looking & Lead Room - when filming a conversation (shot rev/shot) there needs to be space in front of the subject looking off screen

Difference & opposites - are the subjects shot separately? Is this positioned in the frame to show they are facing/conflict with each other?

Perspective & focus - who is in the foreground, who is in the background, who is in focus?

Rule of 3rds - who is framed bigger in the shot, where is our eye drawn to in the shot - is this a character or a face?

Angle


Low angle - to show power, dominance, superiority

High Angle - to show subordinate, weaker, subjugated

Shot type (some)

CU - intense, confrontational - in your face, shows reactions/emotions, personal, shows importance, detail, often picks out the key characters in a crowd, claustrophobic

LS - can show a character as isolated, lonely, abandoned

Movement


Pan
Track
Zoom
Arc

Can be shot smoothly or erratically - what could this say about youth or old, male & female?

Focus

Usually crisp & clear so we can see everything clearly. Can have a pull-focus where the object is brought into focus from blurry (eg regaining consciousness) or switching importance from one thing to another - again POwer? Soft focus is a feminine way of softening the shot making everything look dreamlike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2PqbUk0bU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z68dMBAAn-k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd2YUPGovQw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BFD8sEEfLw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1japIhKU9I

Dr Who Sequence Animatic

click here to see example of an animatic: http://jja2mediastudies.blogspot.com/2011/11/animatic-story-board.html


Script for scene

See previous post for camera, mise-en-scene, editing & sound aspects for analysis

Fight Club/Dr Who/Dusk Til Dawn Task H/W

TV Drama Camera & Editing Research Start Point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQIWywngiLI

Technical Areas Questions for Analysis

Masculinity in crisis - fight club

http://www.slideshare.net/ojwoods/masculinity-in-fight-club

1. opening 10-15 mins clip - introduction to main character

2. introduction to Tyler Durdan (Brad Pitt)

Construction of Gender

How can we apply Judith Butler's ideas to the following episode?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94hdVLP1SdE

What is Gender?

Judith Butler says: 'There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; ... identity is performatively constituted by the very "expressions" that are said to be its results.' (Gender Trouble, p. 25). In other words, gender is a performance; it's what you do at particular times, rather than a universal who you are.


Butler argues that we all put on a gender performance, whether traditional or not, anyway, and so it is not a question of whether to do a gender performance, but what form that performance will take. 


http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=gender

‘Male’ Gender Traits	‘Female’ Gender Traits
Independent	Dependent
Rational	Irrational
Rough	Gentle
Nasty	Nice
Brave	Cowardly
Insensitive	Sensitive
Aggressive	Placid
Competitive	Co-operative
Physical	Emotional
Disobedient	Obedient
Active	Passive
Unhappy	Happy
Assertive	Unassertive
Confident	Unconfident
Uncaring	Caring

Representation of Gender TV Drama quick overview

http://www.slideshare.net/nicolanais/gender-and-tv-drama-ls

Look at slides about 'Masculine TV Drama' & 'Feminine TV Drama'

What do we expect from each?

Ideology & Representation/Stereotypes of Gender

Representation – How it Works Part One

You already know about representation. Break down the word and you see it clearly. The Media re-presents (i.e. changes or  re-interprets) or constructs meanings about the world we live in.

There are dominant images – shared recognitions or familiar ideas and alternative images – different or unexpected recognitions or ideas.
In order to make sense of this, you need to think about some fairly difficult concepts about how society (the world and the way we live in it) actually works. We will look at two different theories of the way society functions. We call them 'models' and you should remember that they are theories and that not every society works exactly the way the theories suggest it should.
The first model is called a Hegemonic Model. Theoretically this works as follows:

1. The HEGEMONIC MODEL

A hegemony is a system where one group is dominated by another. The dominating group achieves its domination by ‘winning’ popular consent through everyday cultural life.
In media studies terms, this model works by achieving dominance through media representations of the world. The media  ‘tell us’ what to think, what to believe and how our world ‘should be’.
This works through ideology – a set of ideas which gives a partial or selective view of reality. For example, the ‘powerful’ rule over the ‘poor’ by promoting the idea (the ideology) of privilege and wealth belonging exclusively to a select group of people.
There is an argument that all belief systems or world views are ideological. Beliefs become ‘truthful’ or ‘natural’ and this leads to power inequalities.The media can circulate or reinforce ideologies OR it can undermine and challenge them 

Ideologies are MYTHIC, i.e. they seem to be ‘natural’ or ‘common sense’ but they aren’t! 

but just think of the opposite of hegemony and you'll se how it works.

2 The PLURALIST MODEL 

Predictably enough, the pluralist idea is the exact opposite of a hegemonic one. A pluralist model argues that there is diversity in society (everyone is different) and therefore there is also choice (we can choose what to believe and what not to believe.)

 So in media terms, because the audience (society) is diverse, with different points of view, the media is influenced by society. Because the media need to please the audience they will try to reflect the values and beliefs that are predominant in society. In other words, they give us what we say we want rather than telling us what to think and believe, in order to make us stay ‘in our place’. 

epresentation and stereotypes

 In simple terms, a stereotype is the application of one (usually negative) characteristic to a whole group. In the North, for example, the stereotypical representation of the native male is one who wears a flat caps and grows leeks, or keeps a greyhound. (If he is aged over sixty) Alternatively, young Northern men stereotypically wear baseball caps, large luridly coloured trainers and black and white Newcastle United sports wear to drive around in their souped-up Fords, with the music playing full blast and all the windows open. (Exaggeration, there, but you see the idea) I just applied several stereotypical ideas to a whole group of people. 

The stereotype is an easy concept to understand, but there are some points you need to consider when looking at media representations with regard to stereotyping. 

For a stereotype to ‘work’ it needs to be recognisable to the audience and when so recognised, then judgements are made about the subject. If the stereotype is negative, then the judgements will also tend to be the same. 

The predictable thing about stereotypes is that they are predictable! They create a sense of order and also provide a sense of identity (even if it is a negative one!)  

Stereotypical judgements and stereotypical media representations can (and often do) lead to different treatments of groups by other groups, (sadly, often quite discriminatory). 

But you need to remember some points: 

• stereotypes are not always negative. (e.g. nurses are compassionate and caring)

• they are not always applied to lower classes of society

• they can be held about a group you belong to

• they change according to time and fashion

• they are not always untrue

Media representation can do one or more of three things: 

• it can reinforce stereotypes
• it can challenge them
• it can inform them

Representation and Gender 

If we define ‘male’ and ‘female’ all we are doing is a biological classification, but if we think about the terms ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ we have to think about social constructs.Put simply, the words have very specific connotations of what is ‘natural behaviour’ for each sex. In other words, society has constructed (made) a set of ‘truths’ about what is the ‘right’ way for a man or a woman to behave.
The media, of course, have had a hand in this construction, because of representation, which is an integral part of the encoding of any media text.
Take, for example, the idea that a woman is judged by her appearance more so than a man. If you doubt that this is ‘true’, then look at any text made for women and see how many feature fat women, old wrinkled women or women with greasy hair. You are unlikely to find many and those you do, will probably be featured as ‘sad’, ‘old’ or ‘disadvantaged’ in some way.

‘The Gaze’ 

In the 1970s, Laura Mulvey began some very interesting research on the way in which women are represented in film. She theorised that the cinema is largely ‘masculine’ and that women are controlled by the male ‘gaze’. The idea is that a woman’s body displayed on screen, makes the (male) viewer a kind of voyeur, who experiences intense erotic pleasure from looking at her. This ‘controls’ the woman and makes her an ‘object’ of the gaze (the man). You need to remember that the cinema was (and still is) is largely a male-dominated industry, so it follows that men are in control of the making of the cinematic texts – for men!
Before you dismiss Mulvey’s ideas as feminist ranting, think about the pornography industry, where the sole reason for the texts is to look (to ‘gaze’) for erotic pleasure; or the tabloid newspapers with their topless page three models. Who reads them? Who looks? Why? 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=noel+gallagher+what+a+life&aq=3&oq=noel+

The Gaze reversed?

Until fairly recently, men were not portrayed in the same erotic, overtly sexual way, in order to be looked at and ‘controlled’ by women. On the contrary, ‘masculine’ portrayal was quite ‘respectable’ and usually in the contexts that would not threaten  ‘traditional’ masculinity.In gay culture the male body was openly displayed for erotic pleasure, but it is only fairly recently that the media has begun to represent men as ‘sex objects’ for women to look at. 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rock+dj+robbie+williams+official+video&aq=0&oq=rock+dj

Gender Roles 

In many media texts you will see specific and very recognisable ‘gender roles’. In other words, men and women behaving, or being portrayed in a predictable or stereotypical way.

In the cinema, for instance, the male hero traditionally makes things happen, while the female is a kind of ‘reward’ for the task being completed. Alternatively, the male hero ‘targets’ the female in some way. This is predictable, and audiences often expect it to be the case.

The female role or a female narrative is often confined to domesticity – she searches for a man or cares in some way for others.