TV: Capital Case Study :)

Reviews and features

Read the following review and feature on Capital:

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston

London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

• The way that Peter Bowker and Euros Lyn adapted to and directed Capital excellently, especially due to the way they managed to squeeze so much into just one street, one book ad three hours of television without overwhelmingly positive or negative portrays 
• The way that seemingly 'terrible' characters still evoke sympathy from the audience due to the good writing of the show 
• The writer of the article familiarises the street that Capital was shot on with the street that they live on- these similarities in setting suggests that the representation of London in Capital is realistic and authentic 
• There was also a positive point made about the cast that appeals to many age ranges, all types of audiences may recognise at least one actor in this show 
• The way that Capital has incorporated real issues in London, such as the economy and other financial issues, has increased how relatable the show is to an audience from London because they can relate and see themselves with these issues

• A criticism of Capital was made regarding the lack of coverage over every aspect of London- but I believe that this is an unfair criticism because the show is only three hours long so it is unrealistic to expect them to be able to cover every single aspect of London life in this time 

2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?

This review states the idea of Capital being a 'state-of-the-nation' drama due to the similarities that can be identified in the rising house prices and the local shops that we, as an audience, may recognise in our own environment. It also captures modern-day London/Britain because it accurately and realistically depicts the variety of lives that are lived in a capitalist society- whether that is the financially-sound or economically-struggling. There is also a sense of jealously that has been portrayed through the postcards that read "WE WANT WHAT YOU HAVE" where we are led to believe that the economically-struggling are envious of the financially-sound because they have what the economically-struggling desire and find impossible to acquire

Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for Capital:

1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

We can identify that at the beginning of the trailer, there is an establishing drone shot that shows the city of London in order to establish the setting for the show. We can then see that the shots progressively get more and more zoomed into a specific part of London, where we learn the name of the street that this show takes place on- 'Pepys Road'. We can see examples of dolly shots, zooms, and even handheld camera shots in order for the constant movement of the camera to capture the true chaos of London and how London is always moving 

2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?

The family element of the drama is captured by the use of casual clothing and nightwear because it gives the show an emphasised portrayal of domestic life in London. There is also a large emphasis of houses throughout the trailer and this successfully presents the idea of a family unit- specifically the one family that was sat around the dinner table where the use of props (cutlery, food, table, etc.) that also showed happy facial expressions through smiles and laughs. But in the trailer, there was also a woman shouting at her husband in their home too where she is clearly expressing distressed and angry facial expressions which successfully identifies the difference in families that live in London

3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

The narrative strand introduced to us in the trailer was narrative of the postcards that were being posted by somebody that the audience is unaware of at this stage. This ominous and mysterious feeling is carried on when the message on the postcards is revealed to us and we find out that they say "WE WANT WHAT YOU HAVE"- this creates enigma codes of who is sending these messages and why they're sending them. Towards the beginning of the trailer, we can see a hooded figure with no identity taking pictures of the front of houses- this leads the audience to wonder if there is a relation between this person and the person sending the postcards but this is confirmed as the trailer progresses. We can see a brief scene where Quentina is put in a jail cell and this creates an enigma code as we are unsure what she did to get there or how serious the trouble she got into was

Watch the Episode 1 preview for Capital:

1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?

There is a potential sub-genre of crime because of the characters telling the police officer about the mysterious postcards they are receiving- the police being present suggests that there is crime happening

2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?

From this clip, it is suggested that Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama because the racial inequalities in society are presented accurately. This is because one character mentions Islamophobia which is a real issue in society, especially recently where there have been endless stories of police officers treating women and ethnic minorities with misconduct. This idea is even emphasised when another character stated that the police only got involved because a white person complained once

3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?

In this clip, the use of the setting of the corner shop provides familiarity and realism for the audience because corner shops are familiar to a vast majority of British audiences so it emphasises the realistic and accurate representation of London. We can also identify the use of props in this scene- from the stock on the shelves to the alcohol in the background- as providing familiarity for the audience because they can identify it with their own community 

4) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?

The audience is positioned to respond to each character differently because we are able to see the characters behind the till take passive and accepting approach whilst answering the police while also trying to calm down the two more active characters- an older audience may relate to this because they don't seem to want to cause any trouble. The other two (younger) characters were more brave when talking to the police because they called them out on racial injustice which allows a younger audience to respect them perhaps because they are standing up to the injustices in the police force. We are also positioned to dislike the police officer because he hasn't helped the family at all and presents the police force as incompetent because they offer no help

Representations: close-textual analysis

Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and asylum seekers to capitalism and inequality. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, capitalism, aging and more.

These notes from your feedback in the lesson analysing these clips will help with this element of the case study. 

1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49

• White-British people don't have a full understanding of foreign people- Petunia assumes the cashier is Indian and he corrects her 
• The montage shows how London has changed over time 
• Drone shot of London captures the scale and power that the city holds
• "Usman isn't going anywhere, he gets vertigo going North of the river"- feels authentic and shows that immigrants are not outsiders because they are fully integrated into London life 
• There is a skip visible during the funeral scene to execute how people and society and culture changed in London as time goes on
• They all have stereotypical jobs 

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10

• Roger and Lothar clearly have no idea what Mark (younger man) is talking about- nod to the 2007 financial crisis and lack of oversight in the banking industry
• "No need to go too heavy on the terminology Mark"- older generation dismissive of younger generation
• Offices are overwhelmingly white, male and middle-upper class- lack of representation of different genders, ethnicity, race, class, etc 
• Drone shot of London area which feels authentic- shows the financial district which emphasises power and wealth as well as the importance of finance 

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35

• "You'd be surprised how little a million pounds covers these days"- wealth and money divide
• Reference to German boss and cultural stereotypes 
• Arabella and Roger's relationship is conditional and is based on how much money Roger earns

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40

• The sound (background noise, loud music, baby crying, chatter, etc) emphasises the difficulty of living with other people 
• Quentina's narrative highlights sharp contrast with Roger's life (power/dominance of financial district) 
• "Perhaps a little kiss?"- emphasises power and patriarchy
• Black female lawyer- subverts traditional stereotypes (left-wing ideologies)
• Quentina is being exploited (paid £200 for £300 worth of work)- people trafficking/criminal exploitation of Quentina as she is "not permitted to work"

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 

• "What use is 30 grand to anybody?"- highlights the contrast between the Kumar family or Quentina (whose lives would be changed by £30k) and emphasises the wealth inequality 
• Technical construction- cross cutting of his reaction and time lapse to show his state of mind

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

• Arabella and corriander- proof that she has never even been in her local corner shop which reflects the idea that the upper-class are detached from their own community 
• Kamal family dinner- close-knit and warm family despite harmless disagreements 
• Positive representation of family life and working-class life
• Arabella shocked by warmth and generosity 

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Capital uses stereotypes as a way to reinforce them as well as subverting them in order to present an accurate representation of London. It is a stereotype that Pakistani people and Indian people run corner shops in London which is reinforced by Ahmed and his family which makes the show seem more realistic. There is also a stereotype of immigrants being lazy which Quentina subverts as she is a hard-worker who works overtime when she doesn't even have to. Capital also reinforces stereotypes of middle class white men being in positions of power as Roger and his boss both fit this assumption 

Industries and production context

Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page 

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?

The Banikay Group

2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?

Spooks- BAFTA Award-winning spy drama

3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?

• Apple Tree Yard
• Broadchurch S3: Winner of Best Drama Series at the TV Choice Awards and Best Crime Drama 2017 at the National Television Awards 2018
• Tin Star
• Troy
• Humans S2
• The Tunnel
• Vengeance
• The Boy With The Topknot
• Man in an Orange Shirt
• Grantchester S3

4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer? 

• Entertainment: action scenes in the showreel that are sure to excite an audience
• Personal Identity: representation of different races, ethnicity, and sexuality
• Personal Relationships: audience gets to know recurring characters part of the ensemble cast
• Surveillance: some dramas looked into historical meanings 

Marketing and promotion

Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital 

1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?

The cast is praised on their involvement in previous works that allow the audience to recognise their talents. Their talent is also recognised when the programme information includes the fact that Capital is a "critically acclaimed and bestselling novel" in order to entice an audience so that they are curious as to how Capital truly is and encourages them to watch 

2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?

The programme information mentions the other shows that the director and producer have worked on as this encourages fans of the series to watch Capital as they have similar plots as well as similar quality

3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?

• Charlotte Moore: Controller of BBC One
• Ben Stephenson: Controller of BBC Drama

4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?

Toby Jones says that Roger "isn’t an evil banker, he’s a slightly complacent banker. He’s become used to a certain way of life and has a self-imposed pressure to live that way. He spends a lot of money on things that other people don’t spend money on – for example, fixtures and fittings - but that is normal to him and his wife. He is not totally in charge of his life or his work"

5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?

Adeel Akhtar suggests that Capital presents Pepys Road as a manifestation of a lot of things that are slowly happening, socially, economically, and culturally- meaning that it isn't too far from the reality of a lot of roads in London and Britain. Adeel Akhtar also presents the suggestion that Capital "looks at the idea of a community, and what it means to belong to the community from whatever background you’re from. One of the problems is that some people within a community, such as Ahmed’s brother Usman, feel ostracized from it. They feel like they don’t belong and are on the outside looking in. Capital looks at that concept and also that they are all part of something bigger than themselves"

6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain? 

Shabana Azmi says that Asian representation in Britain has become fairer and more accurate, she also acknowledges that "there’s awareness that the world is shrinking, and becoming a global village. We are absorbing cultures, and understanding them, or at least trying to understand them within their own paradigms"

7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?

Peter Bowker says that his favourite scenes in the drama are: "Christmas morning where Roger has been abandoned and left to look after his two children" and "the Kamals’ chaotic family meals" and "when Bogdan the Polish builder talks to Matya the Hungarian nanny about the affluent Londoners they are working for" 

8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?

• Derex Wax (the Executive Producer for Kudos) says he produced Capital because "the novel really spoke to me as it has a sweeping Dickensian ambition to it, all life in one street. I loved the sense of this big, expansive panorama of life as well as the small details of human behaviour. The whole of London seen through the microcosm of one street. And the characters are so complex, real and believable. Sometimes big ‘state of the nation’ novels use characters to illustrate political points, but Capital is far more subtle and nuanced. John gets inside their heads and allows us to engage with their thoughts and feelings, observes them with insight, humour and humanity, allows the story to breathe"
• Derex Wax also says that Capital "definitely speaks to me about where London and the country is now. The obsession with property, the fact that London house prices have risen extraordinarily, has only intensified the sense of a society of haves and have-nots. Your home becomes the thing by which you are defined at some level, and in Capital we go from Bogdan's bedsit to Petunia's home untouched for 60 years, to Roger and Arabella with their multiple homes and constant refurbishment, which is a fascinating way of entering the psychology of these characters. Everyone’s connection to money is explored but then the novel expands to ask what life’s real value is, and it does this with a very deft, light touch. I’d say the novel is profound but never overtly polemical" 

DVD packaging

Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.

1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?

In the top centre of the packaging, it is clearly stated that Capital is created by the makers of Humans and Broadchurch. These are more British TV Dramas which means that fans of those shows may watch Capital due to their enjoyment of the genre . We can also see the cast on the front of the packaging which includes some actors which have been in other projects- this makes them recognisable to some audiences and allows them to gain the attention of more people to encourage them to watch 

2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?

The design of the packaging already reveals that this drama takes place in London and this is due to the silhouettes of iconic landmarks that have been positioned above the characters. This positioning may suggest that there is much more to London than the landmarks that everyone automatically associates with London, it gives a sense of humanity to London because it shows that there are real people that live in London that have real issues- London is more complex than we think 

3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?

Capital uses review quotes such as "insightful and moving", "a compelling portrait of modern Britain", "terrific", "a dazzling, able cast", "before you know it, the story has got you gripped". These quotes help to establish sub-genres of mystery and social realism as there are sure to be enigma codes within the plot that keep the audiences hooked. We may also be able to assume that the cast has been used to promote and sell the DVD because the reviews speak highly of the cast and leads the consumers to believe that they will form personal relationships or personal identity with the characters 

4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?

The packaging offers a diverse representation of London with images of the cast members but also offers an economically thriving environment by showing silhouettes of London's famous landmarks (such as the London Bridge and the Gherkin)