C2 TV

 

Component 2: TV

L/O: To explore the content and format of the unit.

Do Now

1. There are 2 media exams.
2. Each exam is 1hr 30 mins.
3. A genre is a category that a film (or any piece of media) fits under depending on their general themes.
4. The target audience for The Archers are women aged 55 or older who live in a rural location, typically white upper class.
5. The BBC's remit is to educate, inform and entertain

 

Component 2: 'Understanding media forms and products'

• Written examination
• 60 marks
• Section A: TV Crime Drama - 'Luther' and 'The Sweeney'
• Question 1: Media Language OR Representations
• Question 2: Media Industries OR Audiences OR Media Contexts
• Section B: Music videos

Crime Drama

Genre - a style or category of art, music, or literature.

Sub-genre - a subdivision of a larger genre of art, music, or literature

Hybrid genre - A literary or film genre that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.

Within Crime Drama there are also multiple sub-genres such as: police procedural, period crime drama, forensic crime etc.

The Responder

Narrative

• Main character has trauma, takes pills - depressed?
• MC's wife has a secret
• Police's perspective

Setting

• Therapy
• Nighttime
• City

Characters

• White man, middle-aged, police officer
• Woman therapist
• MC's daughter
• MC's wife

Mise-en-scene

• Burning car
• Police outfit
• Police car
• Arial shot

Happy Valley

Narrative

• Man is drunk, threatens to set himself on fire as he is being bullied - police is trying to help
• Kevin asking for a pay rise to send his child to a good school
• Police's perspective

Setting

• Small town
• Daytime
• Office setting

Characters

• Blonde, middle aged woman, is a police officer - Catherine, 47, recuperated drug addict
• Dark haired, young woman, is a police officer
• Local town residents
• Kevin
• Kevin's boss

Mise-en-scene

• Police car
• Police attire
• Gritty, old camera style shots in the intro
• Arial shot

Line of Duty

Narrative

• Police infiltrating a block of flats for a wanted person - dangerous
• Shot a man in his home with his wife and baby there - wrong man
• Finds real place filled with writings all over the wall
• Trying to stop a crime 
• Police's perspective

Setting

• Day time
• Block of flats
• Urban areas

Characters

• SWAT team
• Police officers
• Family of 3 inside the targeted flat

Mise-en-scene

• Police car
• Police attire
• Guns
• Walkie talkie
• Case study files
• Bomb
• Arial shots

Typical Codes & Conventions of TV CRIME DRAMA

• Set in urban areas
• Includes a policeman/detective
• Arial shots
• Dark, gritty lighting
• Realistic settings
• Enigma
• Police's perspective
• Action shots
• High stakes
• Police car shots
• Internal conflict of detective
• Suspense
• Discovery of a crime - usually with a victim
• Psychological
• Protagonist is intelligent and determined to solve the crime
• Antagonist is also intelligent and crafty, and seems to be one step ahead of the protagonist
• There are handheld suspects with motives and a reasonable opportunity to have committed the crime
• There are clues and red herrings that help hinder the investigation
• The story has a continuing narrative arc that unfolds over multiple episodes
• Typical character types such as villain, hero, helper and a dispatcher - Propps
• Representation of characters and themes are often challenging pre-conceived ideas
• Diegetic sound
• Fast-paced editing
• Handheld camera work

These conventions engage an audience as the enigma would keep the viewer in suspense of 'whodunnit'.

Furthermore, the realistic setting of these dramas may also be enticing as it feels as if it is a real crime, something that could happen, as well as the use of diegetic sound. The fast paced editing also keeps us interested.

The way in which there are possible candidates for the ultimate antagonist or perpetrator of the crime may also keep a viewer engaged as it keeps them guessing and interacting with the media.