tv crime drama revision guide: media language
DESCRIPTION
Revision guide for AQA GCSE Media StudiesTRANSCRIPT
Revision Guide
Year 10 and 11
Exam Format
• You will be given an exam brief on MAY 14TH 2012
• You will then be given clues and hints as to what you will need to do for the exam.
• On JUNE 14TH you will sit your exam
Exam Format
• You will be asked Four Questions:• 2 Theory Questions• 1 Question which requires you to outline your
own ideas for a TV Crime Drama• 1 practical question
Theory Questions
• These could be anything from the following list, all of which we will cover in lessons:– Women’s roles in TV Crime Drama– Growth in Popularity of TV Crime Drama– Representation of Police – Codes and Conventions– History of the Genre
Key Concepts
• The duration of this course will focus on the following Key Concepts of Media (All of which you’ve touched on in your coursework)– Media Language– Representation– Audience– Institution
Media Language: What does that Mean?
• Narrative• Character Types• Settings• Style (camera work and editing; music; lighting
and colour; dialogue)
RepresentationYou will be looking to answer the following questions:• Does television crime drama offer us a realistic
portrayal of the work and life of crime fighters and if so how?
• How are women portrayed and what kinds of roles do they have?
• How are minority groups represented?• Is crime drama guilty of demonising sections of our
society or are there social groups who do not have a presence in crime drama at all and are invisible?
AudienceYou will be looking to answer the following questions:• Who watches television crime drama?• Why do audiences enjoy Television Crime Drama?• What kinds of viewing pleasures and experiences
does it offer?• What is the effect of Television Crime Drama on
audiences?• Why do audiences despise one character but love
another?
InstitutionsIn this section we look at the following issues:• Cost of TV Crime Drama Production• How do channels maintains viewers?• With the popularity of DVD how do producers
ensure that their TV Crime Drama becomes popular?
You Do...
• Name the Four Key Concepts
• What will we be looking at for Media Language?
Media Language
What are the Main Ingredients?• Angry Policemen• Shocked Suspect• Interview Room• Police trying to find the criminal• Close up camera shots on reactions• Serious Music• Dim Lighting• Law and Order Vs Crime
Narrative Theory• Todorov’s Theory
Basics• Equilibrium
• Disruption
• Recognition
• Attempt to Repair
• Reinstatement
Propp’s Narrative• The Hero• Heroine/Princess (usually truth/justice in this case)• Villain• Donor or Mentor• Helper• Sidekick
Binary Opposition• Levi Strauss• Story needs opposites• Good vs Evil etc...
You Do...
• Looking at a TV Crime Drama apply the theories we have gone through here.
• Where are the points of Todorov’s Narrative?• Who fulfills Propp’s character roles?• What are the Binary Oppositions?
Narrative Construction
• Opening Teaser Clues• Quest Conflict• Set Pieces Dramatic Irony• Suspense Resolution• Cliffhangers Enigma
What is an Enigma?
• Leaving gaps in the story
• Audience ask questions of the story
• Sets up riddles in the story
Identify the Narrative
• Look at the sheets you have in front of you, they have the outline of one episode of a TV Crime Drama. Using the coloured pencils on your desk label the different elements of the Narrative construction.
You Do...
• Using the knowledge acquired in this section design your own TV Crime Drama outline.
• Using the checklist from earlier pinpoint what you think would make a good TV Crime Drama.
Title Sequences in TV Crime Drama
Year 10 and 11
What are they for?
• Set the Scene• Highlight the characters• Give Pace• Set expectations
What to look for?
• Content• Types of Shots• Edits• Lighting• Titles• Music• Sound Effects
Exampleshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmQIxN3NA4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5cxPgThEhY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WseRJMQf1U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p_i_baiPvc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESicykvHUyk
You Do
• Now that you have looked at a few examples you have a sheet to complete to analyse one you thought was the most like your own ideas.
• Once you have analysed the opening I want you to begin designing your own.
Character Types
• There are at least 12 varieties of characters in TV Crime Drama. With this in Mind we need to take a look at the varieties.
The Hero Cop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_GVwHs-v_o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sn6QNQGJxJo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL_QHpPVirQ
Heroine Cop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkomFWwg7k8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuJt7mF_Jzo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCy6mrGBFLk
Anti Hero
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6_qsTCBns8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ut8WUrncQ
Quirky Detectives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tddaAfV4iM
Bad Tempered but Brilliant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUjMs1JrhJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92AdDTtVpec
Rookie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs3NdRK94BI
Buddy Partners
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SS3b9coJ2M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hCrZVX2qPw
Grumpy, world weary superior officers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYeNuCTf_PE
Forensic Scientists
Psychologists/Helpers
FBI Agents
Lawyers
Informants
Eponymous Heroes
• These are heroes that the TV programmes are named after. It can be a singular person or a duo.
Ensemble Dramas
• This is where there are more than two detectives or characters that interact with each other and who are equally important to the storyline.
You Do...
• You will need to consider how your cast are going to be put together.
• What type of Protagonist will you have?• Will you have an Eponymous Hero or will you
have an Ensemble cast?• Make a decision
Settings
• What are your expectations for the settings for TV Crime Drama? Think about what you expect to see.
• These are conventions
Fictional Locations
You Do...
• The setting of a TV Drama is just as important as the characters. You will need to choose your own location.– You will need to think carefully and do your
research. – Think about crime rates, the types of crimes in
that location. – The types of characters who would live there.
Style
This is about the look and sound of the programme, the feel of it. The way the camera moves, scenes are staged and cut, the mood of the music and the dialogue. The setting can also play a part in the style.
Inner City
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dKgKu02zQ
Inner City• Shaky hand held camera work: Gives a documentary
feel• Fast Editing• Slick dialogue; street slang• Urgent contemporary music• Grey colours and dark lighting to reflect the grim
city life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvEK-eKmWgI
Rural Settings
• Panning Shots to show the beauty of the landscape
• Slow editing• Rich colours and warm lighting• Polite dialogue of the middle class village
dwellers• Scored with orchestral music
Mise En Scene
• Costume• Setting• Lighting• Acting• Props• Analyse the following still to give an idea of what
they are trying to tell you about the programme
Additional Elements to Consider
• SFX
• Realism
• Authenticity: Where are the stories taken from?
You Do...
Based on the list you have on your desk divide the TV Crime Dramas up into Realistic and unrealistic.
What leads you to these decisions?
Themes
• GOOD v EVIL• RIGHT v WRONG• ORDER v DISORDER
When these lines are blurred it becomes known as Moral Ambiguity.
Into the Lives of the Officers
• There are additional themes which then arise from our involvement in the lives of the Police offers these are:
• FREEDOM v SOCIETY• INDIVIDUAL v INSTITUTION
• CAREER v FAMILY
Sub Genres• Police Procedural : The Bill; NYPD Blue; Southland• Police Detective: Inspector Morse; Lewis; Zen;
Touch of Frost• Private Detectives: The Rockford Files; Shoestring• Legal: Law and Order; Criminal Justice• Medical/Forensics: CSI; Silent Witness; Sherlock• Military: NCIS and JAG• Cosy Mysteries: Miss Marple; Rosemary and
Thyme; Midsomer Murders.
Hybrids• Thriller/Action Adventure: 24• Hospital/Medical: Diagnosis Murder• Horror: Dexter• Ghost: Medium• Costume Drama: Poirot• Documentary Style: Cops• Sci-Fi: Life On Mars; X-Files• Soap Opera: The Bill• Psychological: Wire in the Blood• Comedy: Thin Blue Line: The Detectives• Musical: Cop Rock
You Do...
• Identify the hybrid or Sub genre of your own TV Crime Drama.
• By this point you should be forming a strong idea of your own TV Crime Drama. You should have a strong outline which includes a basic plotline; Character types; settings; style and sub genres.