G322 TV DRAMA

G322 TV DRAMA*

School ClickView link: http://online.clickview.co.uk ( use your school email address and password)

Specimen Paper

Extract: The Chase (BBC/Rollem Productions) Episode 1, Series 1 written by Kay Mellor, dir. Jamie Payne

Extract length: 5 minutes max. Timing of extract: First 5 minutes of Episode 1.
Answer the question below, with detailed reference to specific examples from the extract

only.

1   Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of gender using the following:

  • Camera shots, angles, movement and composition

  • Editing

  • Sound 

  • Mise-en-scene [50

Long Road Media TV Drama blog with links
http://www.pinterest.com/ntennear/g322-textual-analysis/
Stereotypes about youth
Continuity editing in V For Vendetta
Worksheets on Representation

Presentation on Social Class
Video The Rotters Club: class
Videos of TV Drama
Video Life On Mars: ethnicity
Video Compulsion: ethnicity
Video Spooks: ethnicity
Video Shameless: disability
Video Hotel Babylon: ethnicity
Video Fingersmith: sexuality


January 2009
See the G322 Sample Paper and Mark Scheme.pdf
G322-Exemplar-Answer-Cand-A-High-Level

TV Drama sequence: Monarch of the Glen, Series 7, Episode 2   Director: David Caffery/Edward Bennett Date:  2006

Distributor:BBC Worldwide Country: UK

Chapter 2 5 minutes approx Start: 41:54; End: 46:45 . Video on disc only (copyright issues).

Answer the question below, with detailed reference to specific examples from the extract only. 

1 Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of age using the following:

• Camera shots, angles, movement and composition

 • Editing

• Sound

 • Mise en scène

January 2009
Monarch of the Glen. The question was 'How is the representation of age constructed?'
January 2009 video is on disc only (copyright issues)

Summer 2009
Extract: Dr Who. The question was 'How is the representation of gender constructed?'
Video Dr Who is on disc only (copyright issues)

January 2010

Extract: Hotel Babylon. The question was : 'How is the representation of ethnicity constructed?'

January 2010 video
exemplar answer

Summer 2010
Extract : Primeval. The question was 'How is the representation of gender constructed?'
Summer 2010 video is on disc only (copyright issues).
high level exemplar-student-essay Primeval June 201

January 2011 
Extract : The Hustle
 January 2011 video is on disc only (copyright issues) Extract here
The question was 'How is the representation of gender constructed?

Summer 2011
Extract : Merlin
The question was 'How is the representation of class and status constructed?
Summer 2011 video is on disc only (copyright issues).
 
January 2012
Extract: Fingersmith. The question was 'How is the representation of sexuality constructed?
January 2012 video is on disc only (copyright issues)

Summer 2012
Extract : Coming Down The Mountain
The question was 'How is the representation of disability constructed?
Summer 2012 video

January 2013 
Extract : E.R. Season 14, Episode 2, written by Karen Maser and Lisa Zwerling, dir. Richard Thorpe; hospital drama. 
The question was 'How is the representation of age constructed?' 
January 2013 video is on disc only (copyright issues)

January 2014   
Extract: Doc Martin,Series 1 episode 1 
The question was  'Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of regional identity
January 2014 video

May 2014
Extract : Downton Abbey, Series 1, Episode 1, directed by Brian Percival.

The question was  'Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of class and status.'
May 2014 video is on disc only (copyright issues)

May 2015
Extract : Treme, Series 1, Episode 6, directed by Brad Anderson .
The question was  'Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity.'
 

May 2015 video 

May 2016 
Extract: Sherlock, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Paul McGuigan.
Series 1, Episode1. First screened 25 July 2010.
The question was  'Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of gender.'
The extract is on the school's CLICKVIEW under Media Studies>Exams. 

ADDITIONAL EXTRACTS

HERE  Representation of Class - Footballer's Wives 

HERE: Representation of Regional Identities - North and South Extract 

HERE: Representation of Class - The Street

ADDITIONAL EXTRACTS

HERE  Representation of Class - Footballer's Wives 

HERE: Representation of Regional Identities - North and South Extract 

HERE: Representation of Class - The Street 

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: HOW TO WRITE ABOUT EDITING

G322 Television Drama: writing about how editing contributes to representation

David Allison notes also available at The Media Association www.themea.org

EDITING AND REPRESENTATION

As a technical code, editing is primarily related to narrative, and many students struggle to make connections between editing and representation. They see how camerawork such as close-ups and low angles conveys status and emotion to the audience. The use of costume, props and settings functions of mise-en-scène are also pretty transparent to most students.

But what does match-on-action have to do with character or representation?

This list is designed to help you to start thinking about how editing can, if sometimes subtly, influence the audience’s reading of a character, and lead on to wider questions of representation. It is not an exhaustive list, and you should be wary of assuming these suggestions are either a) complete or b) foolproof - in the same way that black and white don’t always represent good and evil (just ask a penguin). The role of editing in representation is open to interpretation, and is greatly dependent on context. So use your intelligence!

ACTION MATCH

When following a single character (e.g. Billy Elliot dancing) this is a purely technical device. However, when an action match is used for intercutting, it can heighten the parallels/contrasts between two different characters in two different situations and offers an opportunity for juxtaposition.

e.g. a scene in Skins showing a young Russian woman’s swinging of the axe (representing of sex and power) is juxtaposed with a fat Russian dinner lady heavy serving of congealed mashed potato. It draws attention to the contrasting ways in which Russian women are being represented.

EYELINE MATCH

Eyeline match usually provides insight to a character's private thoughts.

e.g. In Doctor Who: Last of the Time Lords, Martha exchanges glances with all the people she loves, as though this may be the last chance she has to communicate with them before she dies. Similarly, as she confronts the Master, it keeps cutting between her and the friends watching her, signifying that she, the woman, is the centre of the action.

FINAL SHOT

In any scene, which character or characters are shown in the final shot of the sequence? This is often the character with which the audience is expected to identify.

e.g. in Primeval, although Abby saves the day, the last shot is on Cutter, signifying that the audience is intended to adopt the male, not female, point of view. See also every East Enders cliffhanger ever.

INTERCUTTING: JUXTAPOSITION

Although typically a narrative device, intercutting can set up juxtaposition between parallel storylines, exaggerating the impact or meaning of each by highlighting a point of difference e.g. in East Enders: Wedding Night, the warmth, light and music of the happy pre-wedding feast is in stark contrast with the two unhappy families represented in the cold and dark whenever we cut away. This provides a more favourable representation of Asian family life over white Londoners.

INTERCUTTING: TENSION

When intercutting is used to draw two storylines together, this can be structured to create tension, and therefore heighten the audience’s identification with a particular character.

e.g.: in Primeval, intercutting between the tiger’s pursuit of Cutter and Abby’s running in with the rifle is action code and prompts the question: will she get there in time? In Hotel Babylon, intercutting offers both tension and juxtaposition: just as Adam is saving his colleague’s life with a jar of jam, another African immigrant, Ibrahim, is being lost. The tension and juxtaposition lead the audience to identify with both characters.

JUMP CUTS

These are rarely used in TV or film; when they are, they tend to suggest either a) chaos and disorder, b) self-conscious ellipsis (drawing attention to the rapid pace of the action) or c) a director who likes to break the rules!

e.g. in Primeval, two jump cuts accelerate Cutter’s preparation to slide down the zip-wire; this could be read as speedy and decisive.

MOTIVATION

A motivated edit is any transition forced on the editor by the development of the action, narrative or character. Whenever shot (a) refers to the existence of an event outside the frame, and we then cut to (b) which shows that event, that’s a motivated edit. We can sometimes judge a character’s worth or importance by the number of cuts they motivate.

e.g. in Primeval, Cutter runs away from the tiger, drawing it away from Abby.

His constant motion motivates many of the cuts in this sequence, again reinforcing his status as the protagonist, if not the Proppian hero.

PACE OF EDITING

This can imply character qualities, especially if only one or two characters are in the sequence. A fast pace might suggest energy or panic (depending on context) while infrequent cuts (long takes) might suggest calm, a casual attitude, or provide documentary-style realism (as in Cast Offs). Similar effects can be achieved with speed ramping and slow-motion.

PREVALENCE

How much screen time does a character get? The more time we see them on screen, the more important their role. This can develop during a scene to change character’s status.

e.g. in Hotel Babylon, Adam is invisible (‘just one of many refugees’) until he steps forward to treat the diabetic maid. Suddenly, the editing favours him, and we realise his importance and skill, despite his menial status in the hotel.

SELECTION: to show or not to show

As film-makers yourselves, it can sometimes be interesting to ask what information has been included or omitted in an edit.

e.g. in Primeval, as Jenny comes under increased threat from West, at no point do we cut away to her colleagues approaching the barn. To do so might have reduced the tension in the scene; not doing so arguably increases Jenny’s apparent vulnerability. Narratively, it is also a nice surprise when the team arrive in a single cut, which contrasts with the early tiger chase (see intercutting).

SHOT / REVERSE SHOTS and REACTION SHOTS

S/RS indicates the relationship between two characters: it signifies and sometimes exaggerates their closeness or their opposition (depending on the context). The amount of time given to a character’s reaction shots can convey their status in the scene. For example, if two characters are in S/RS conversation, do they get equal screen time, or do we spend more time looking at one character, speaking and reacting? Equally (though this is also a function of camera, are the two characters framed equally?

e.g.: in Doctor Who, the S/RS between Martha and the Master gives Martha CUs and the Master MCUs, conveying Martha’s greater status as a character, even if narratively she appears defeated.

James Baker (OCR Assistant Principal Examiner G322) writes:

One approach to both sound and editing is to look at the way in which technical elements are used to create perspective or viewpoint within a sequence - a key element of the process of representation that goes beyond the identification of 'character traits'. 

By understanding, for example, how screen time, p.o.v. or reaction shots are distributed, even weaker students can see how hierarchies are established, leading to certain representations being privileged where others are marginalised. 

Stronger students are able to develop this further by discussing how the audience is positioned in relation to the representations on offer - the best answers in the June session of G322 offered some great discussion of the way in which editing frequently shifted the viewer's relationship to dominant views of gender in different scenes. 

Another important factor is the way that the editing of the sequence grants or witholds narrative information from the audience in order to encourage identification or rejection of particular characters/representations.  Fans of 1970s screen theory will recognise the essence of Colin McCabe's work on hierarchy of discourses in classic realist texts in this approach - obviously massively watered down!  There are good chapters on this in Television Culture (John Fiske) and Television Studies (Bernadette Casey) if you want to mug up.

19 Mar 2010 For James Baker’s Prezi on the film industry click here ...ocrmediaconference2010.blogspot.com/


G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL CLASS
The making of Life On Mars: 1970's British Cops

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATIONS OF ETHNICITY
Extract from Hotel Babylon BBC (January 2010 exam) Accessed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grAgxe94bRs&feature=related
Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of ethnicity using the following:
·      Camera shots, angles, movement and composition
·      Editing
·      Sound
·      Mise-en-scène

The exam allows 2 hours for this analysis. After completing the task, we look at the examiner's report. The examiner drew particular attention to candidates' failure to analyseediting:

 'As with the January and June 2009 series, this technical area proved to be the most problematic for candidates and the one technical area of analysis that was often omitted in candidates’ answers. Many candidates ignored editing altogether and only a few of those that did cover it were able to make meaningful links to representations by, for example, showing how the editing created particular viewpoints which we are encouraged to identify with or how screen time indicated the shifting relationship between characters in the sequence, for example through the discussion of the rule of thirds.  

'Most candidates made reference to the pace of editing to reflect the frantic situation and emotions of the immigrant characters. The use of shot reverse shot and cuts to aid continuity were mentioned by many candidates, as was the use of cross cutting between the two situations to enhance tension. More able candidates demonstrated the ability to link the use of editing to the representation of characters, such as the use of long and short takes to represent power and the use of eye line matches to reinforce a sense of dominance. Most candidates who addressed editing were able to address the type of transitions used and could comment on the pace of the editing.  There was evidence on occasion where students engaged with the rule of thirds and juxtaposition of characters in the narrative using editing devices, which is very encouraging.  

'However, many candidates’ responses seem to be very limited in address of the issues of editing and all too frequently it was absent from their responses – which does not enable candidates to reach a level four on the marking criteria for the use of examples.  Weaker candidates often omitted any discussion of editing or offered quite simplistic accounts of how editing was used, for example in the use the shot reverse shot sequence between characters. A common error in the terminology of editing continues to be with the use of jump cuts.' 

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATION and STEREOTYPING

We look at a variety of clips to scrutinize representations that draw on stereotypes aboutethnicity, regional difference and class. We discuss accents and prejudices about them, taking a historical view.
Stereotype: an assumption about a person, place or issue that does not allow for flexibility or detail. Stereotyping involves the use of stock characters or types.
Archetype: a stock character who is the model or prototype, frequently copied in television , drama, film, radio and literature, such as the hero. The role is readily recognized by all.

We contrast Rab C.Nesbitt from Glasgow with the Edinburgh schoolteacher from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
We compare an episode of The Coopers Church going scene with Peter Sellars in The Millionairess (1960) singing Goodness Gracious Me
We discuss how Armstrong and Miller make comedy in their sketch with RAF pilots using RP accents and mismatched vocabulary.

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATION of MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITY 

Look at fictional representations of mental health: how far is mental health portrayed as dangerous? According to a study by the Glasgow Group Media, British TV drama distorts reality:

http://www.topnews.in/health/brit-tv-dramas-portray-characters-mental-health-issues-dangerous-29256

A study of peak-time British programme has indicated that television dramas too often portray characters with mental health problems as "dangerous".

Almost half (45 %) of fictional characters with mental illness have storylines depicting them as violent or posing a threat to others, says a report by Shift, the campaign to tackle the stigma associated with mental issues.

In addition 63 pc of references to mental health in TV soaps and drama were "pejorative, flippant or unsympathetic". Terms included: "crackpot", "a sad little psycho", "basket case”, "where did you get her from, Care in the Community?" and "he was loony tunes".

The study, by the Glasgow Media Group, examined three months of drama programmes on British terrestrial channels between 4pm and 11pm from 1 January this year.

It found 74 episodes from 34 different programmes contained mental illness-related story lines. Of those story lines, there were 33 instances of violence towards others, including a character in Channel 4''s Shameless attacking her partner, and an escaped schizophrenic patient in Channel 5''s CSI: NY killing people to avenge his girlfriend''s murder.

There were also 48 instances of additional types of harm, including the Emmerdale character Sally Spode drugging and sleeping with a vicar to break up his family. Some 53 instances of self-harm were also recorded.

"Some of this study suggests that mental illness is still used as an easy source of violent tragedy or as something to poke fun at," the Guardian quoted the report as saying.

"Mad and Bad is still alive and well on television, whether it is ''Psycho Sally'' in Emmerdale or the sight of Chandler in Friends announcing: ''Ding dong the psycho''s gone.''"

Acknowledging programme makers were challenged in balancing accurate depictions of mental illness with the need to provide compelling television, the report stresses the need for more "everyday reality" rather than "axe-wielding maniac".

The study noted increased use of telephone helplines or websites after episodes that featured mental health.

One example was the peak in hits to the Manic Depression Fellowship website which matched the story twists in EastEnders high profile bipolar disorder story. And TV drama had the power to challenge "stigma and prejudice", said the report published ahead of Monday night''s Mind Mental Health Media Awards.

Chief executive of mental health charity Mind, Paul Farmer, said progress had been made in recent years, highlighting EastEnders, Shameless and Doctors as among those demonstrating a commitment to developing "realistic, sensitive and dramatic story lines".

The study has been published in the report Making a Drama out of a Crisis. (ANI)

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATION OF SOCIAL CLASS

Downton Abbey (ITV)

How does the mise-en-scène create the representation? Discuss setting, historical period, class markers, costume (including hats & gloves), jewellery, colours, hair, make-up and lighting.

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA: REPRESENTATION OF MISE-EN-SCENE

This adaptation of William Boyd's novel Any Human Heart sees (l-r)Matthew Macfadyen, Jim Broadbent and Sam Claflin playing central character Logan at different points in his life. The drama boasts a wealth of other high-calibre talent too, including Kim Cattrall, Gillian Anderson, Tom Hollander, Natasha Little and Julian Rhind-Tutt.

Due to air November, Channel 4. 

Your task is to deconstruct the clothing codes in this shot of the central character Logan, represented at three different stages of his life.

It is worth watching the drama in its entirety on C4 on Sunday evenings. C4 has an excellent website to explore about the series as well as a wealth of information about film and the chance to catch up with C4 films on demand.

G322 TELEVISION DRAMA REPRESENTATION OF GENDER

In the first half of your AS examination, you will analyse representation in a five-minute unseen extract of  television drama. There will be one focus: age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class and status, physical ability/disability, regional identity. There will be one compulsory question, for example:

1. Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of GENDER using the following:

·      Camera shots, angles, movement and composition

·      Editing

·      Sound

·      Mise-en-scene

 Today we tackle G322 June 2009 paper with the Dr Who extract for analysis. After doing the exam, we look at the examiner's report. The exam focus is on representation of gender.