Music Videos: Common - 'Letter to the Free Close' Study Product :)

Social and cultural contexts

Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free 

1) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime 

2) What were the Black Codes?

The Black Codes were restrictive laws designed to limit the freedom of African Americans and ensure their availability as a cheap labor force even after slavery was abolished. This law enforced the restriction of freedom for African Americans and led to the incarceration of (predominantly young) African Americans who had just gained their freedom from slavery and forced them back into following orders and doing labor tasks against their own will 

3) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

People suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect of American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment because it affected such a large amount of African Americans and it cannot be disregarded and ignored by history because racism that originated from slavery still exists in American culture today. There is still an unbelievably high amount of racially motivated crimes against black people happening daily and this is because slavery holds so much dominance in American history and ignorant racists in America still hold the legacy of slavery despite slavery being abolished over 150 years ago

4) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

Ava DuVernay was inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th because she looked into how multi-billion dollar companies were making huge profits from the forced labour of black people in prison due to the loophole in the 13th Amendment 

5) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?

The most significant time period for the rise in political hip-hop was the late '80s and '90s- Common says that this time period was most reflective of black empowerment, black love, black consciousness and just being aware

6) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?

Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music such as Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar 

Media Factsheet #223: Common's Letter to the Free

Read Media Factsheet #223: Common's Letter to the Free and answer the following questions:

1) How is Letter to the Free described on the first page and what album is it from? 

Common’s ‘Letter to the Free’ is a political protest song which uses rap and other musical genres such as gospel to communicate how America’s slave history and the various political laws governments have enacted, disproportionately affect black African Americans and people of colour, especially in terms of incarceration rates. 'Letter to the Free' 2016 is from the album Black America Again and is the eleventh studio album by Common and was released on November 4, 2016 

2) How does the factsheet link Common to the mythology of the American Dream?

The factsheet links Common to the mythology of the American Dream by communicating racial issues with a positive attitude- he said “I just want people to feel like they can achieve something great in their lives. We all go through rough times, but love is the antidote. You’ve got to dream and just believe in yourself. And if you believe, you will achieve it.” and this is more or less what the American Dream stands for because the American Dream is the ideal by which equality of opportunity is available to any American and this is still prominent in American mythology because it presents the idea of equal opportunity for all Americans 

3) How does the factsheet apply Todorov's narrative theory to the song? Does this three-act structure also work for the video?

• EQUILIBRIUM: "Southern leaves, southern trees we hung from Barren souls, heroic songs unsung Forgive them Father they know this knot is undone Tied with the rope that my grandmother died Pride of the pilgrims affect lives of millions Since slave days separating, fathers from children"----> intertextual reference to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ linked to the lynching of innocent African Americans. The knot is a play on words, knot in the rope but also the knot/tie to the slave past. The European settlers (Pilgrims) have affected the lives of African Americans by imposing their supremacy over African Americans. Binary opposition of past and present that creates conflict but will only be resolved through equality of races

• DISEQUILIBRIUM: "Institution ain’t just a building – For America to rise it’s a matter of Black Lives And we gonna free them, so we can free us" ----> various political, economic and social laws implemented by U.S Presidents- especially the ‘war on drugs’ campaigns which have disproportionately affected people of colour. African Americans make up 40% of the prison population- whilst only 14% of the actual population. They work for businesses often for no money and have no rights. Binary opposition between freedom and incarceration

• NEW EQUILIBRIUM: "Freedom (Freedom) Freedom come (Freedom come) Hold on (Hold on) Won’t be long (Won’t be long) Freedom (Freedom)" ----> the struggle is long and slow but freedom is on its way for those African Americans who have hope- there is no resolution yet 

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene, lighting and cinematography?

• MISE-EN-SCENE: Letter to the Free was filmed in an empty prison in Queens, New York State. The action takes place in the cells, corridors and gymnasium. The doors of the cells are left open throughout and this creates a sense of irony as we know that if they had people in them, they would be shut. This is one way in which the video connotes the theme of freedom. The stainless-steel toilet and bed show us the harshness and austere nature of prison life and the dehumanising effect it would have on the prisoners 

• LIGHTING: The video also intertextualises the aesthetic of film noir Hollywood crime dramas. Light and shadow are used to create the chiaroscuro effect with intense shadows. In the still below you can see how the light and shade make the men look like they are trapped behind bars, this reinforces the oppositional ideas of liberty and incarceration 

• CINEMATOGRAPHY: Works to communicate meaning that goes beyond the ideas of incarceration. The opening POV shot tracks us through a steel gate and into the prison taking the viewer with them. The hollowness and echoey nature of the prison appears also to symbolise the ‘hold’ of a slave ship where hundreds of slaves were packed tightly together. This has the very powerful effect of collapsing time and place and taking us back into history to experience it now. It is the absence of slaves and prisoners that makes us think about them all the more 

5) The factsheet offers some interesting ideas regarding representation and the positioning of the artist and musicians in the video. Summarise the main points here.

The video carefully positions the artists within the frame. There are no direct gazes at the audience which subverts the usual performance aspect of music videos. The first artist we see has his back to us drumming, oblivious to the audience behind him. This challenges the stereotype of the black artist as simply a performer and could be an example of how the video avoids, what Stuart Hall calls the ‘White Eye.’ Other framing of the musicians has them claustrophobic cells with the doors open which also coincides with a reference to poet Maya Angelou’s autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,

anchoring the idea of being trapped and also of the possibility of creative talent being wasted. The female singers are positioned centrally, and they look up with yearning as they sing ‘freedom comes’- invoking a kind of spiritual incantation and this represents the hopefulness that Common is trying to convey with regards to equality 

6) How can Paul Gilroy's ideas on diasporic identity and double-consciousness be applied to the Letter to the Free music video?

Paul Gilroy's ideas on diasporic identity can be applied to Letter to the Free because we can see black musicians gaining more power and representation in the industry now and black culture has an influence on cultural output in many different countries. This links to Paul Gilroy’s ideas about the impact the diaspora created by the slave trade had and still is having on Western culture. Gilroy’s ideas also could be used to explore the idea of a black identity, one that has been and is uniquely shaped by the slave history. He calls this double-consciousness which is an internalisation of both African and white identities that have been adopted in order to fit in with society 

Close-textual analysis of the music video

Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement)

• Long-shots/establishing shots throughout the music video- no close-ups in order to almost create distance between artist and audience which subverts music video conventions and this may have been done intentionally in order to force the audience to focus on the political message of the song instead of the performance and artist
• Long-shots also allow for the setting to be established successfully 
• There is no direct performance or address to the audience and the performers never look at the camera which also subverts typical music video conventions 
• Constant camera movement which is very slow which moves through the prison location before moving back out of the prison at the end of the video and this is symbolic of the progression of racism in American history throughout the years 

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?

The constant movement of the camera signifies the constant fight that black people have against justice and equality and reflects the perseverance they have to achieve equality 

3) Why is the video in black and white?

The video is in black and white because of the historical element that allows the video to be reflective of the time the Common is expressing his concern about. The black and white video also creates a cinéma vérité aesthetic which is a French documentary genre associated with realism and has no heavy emphasis on editing in order to reflect reality in a more realistic way  

4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?

• Prison setting- reflective of the subject matter of the song and the documentary which is mass incarceration 
• The setting has elements to reinforce the reflection of the subject matter such as prison cells, bars, the writing on the wall that says "no excessive noise" (which may be seen as a way of silencing the voices of black people)
• The video is in black and white and has naturalistic lighting in order to create a cinéma vérité aesthetic which is a French documentary genre associated with realism and has no heavy emphasis on editing in order to reflect reality in a more realistic way  
• The placement of the performers puts all of them in different locations in the prison and this is unconventional for music videos but it has been done in order to reflect the consequence of division caused by the 13th Amendment- this could be separation in society between black and white or even division within black communities where friends and family members have been wrongfully incarcerated or been a victim of a racially motivated hate crime 

5) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.

I believe that the floating black square motif is reflective of the progression of the black experience in the USA- this is because we are taken on a slow journey where the floating black square is slowly zoomed in on into a close-up and is then shown in a cell to reflect the mass incarceration of black people in the USA and then it goes into the corridor to suggest limited freedom where black people are led to believe they are free but they are still restricted by society due to racism. The floating black square then ends up in a cotton field at the end of the video which presents the idea of freedom because they have no more limits but there is always a constant legacy and history of slavery in the USA that cannot be moved on from or ignored 

6) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.

Racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture has been referenced in this video through the lyric "instead of 'n****' they use the word criminal" and this is highly reflective of the racism that has taken place in America because the 13th Amendment has allowed police officers to incarcerate black people for "crimes" that are not even worth incarceration. The amendment has given police officers the ignorant view that ensures black people are still seen as criminals that are worthy of being locked up instead of real people. The shot of the cotton field at the end of the video is symbolic of the cotton fields that slaves used to work on- using the idea that the floating black square is reflective of the black experience, we can make the link that black people still feel the legacy of slavery because society is not free from racism yet and black people are still not free in the way that they should be 

Music Video Theory: Blog Task :)

Childish Gambino: This Is America

1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

This music video meets the key conventions of a music video because we can see the artist lip-syncing his parts of the song while looking at the camera for some parts to make it look like he is singing to the audience. There is a lot of camera movement in this music video that tracks the artist around because he is moving a lot throughout the video. Another key convention for music videos is narrative and we can see the narrative of this music video is that he is telling the story of what black people experience in America 

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

This video is a clear criticism against American culture because it has been suggested that racism and gun violence has become incorporated into the very culture of America and society has become desensitised to this and no longer see it as the very real issue that it is. The sudden shift from singing to the brutal murder of black people reflects how neglected this issue is by society because it has been normalised as American culture and people no longer feel the need to react to it 

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. Try and write a short paragraph for each theory.

• Gilroy: Paul Gilroy's Black Atlantic theory can be applied to this music video because when Childish Gambino uses a gun to shoot the black people in the video, the lyric "this is America" plays which explains and justifies the shooting of the black people because it has been normalised as American culture so the idea of black diasporic identity is emphasised 
• Hall: Stuart Hall's Race Representation can be applied to this music video as well because the artist has played one of the three roles that he suggested black people play in the media. Childish Gambino played the role of The Entertainer because he is dancing for a majority of the music video and seems to be trying to entertain the audience by dancing for them 
• Rose: Tricia Rose suggested that hip-hop gives black Americans a voice to express themselves and this can be applied to the music video because Childish Gambino has been given a voice to express his disgust and shame about racism in American culture and raise awareness for the issues that black people are facing in America 
• Dyson: Michael Eric Dyson suggested that hip hop music is important because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race- this can be applied to this music video because Childish Gambino created the music video as a criticism against the injustice that black people have faced in terms of politics and history in order to raise awareness for audiences who are unaware of the injustices that black Americans faced and continue to face 

Now read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below

1) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

• Childish Gambino is playing an invocation of the racial caricature Jim Crow due to his grotesque smiles and exaggerated poses in the opening scenes 
• Childish Gambino is duping us with dance because in the background of Glover and co dancing, there are riots happening- the dancing masks and distracts us from the harsh reality which is perhaps what is also happening on social media 
• Childish Gambino is taking on the police as the line “this a celly / that’s a tool” has a powerful double meaning- fans have pointed out that on the one hand it refers to the case of Stephon Clark, shot dead by Sacramento police (who assumed he was armed but only had an iPhone on him) Glover distils the distorting way black men are seen by police with “tool”, meaning gun 

2) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? Choose two and explain what the comments are suggesting.

• "It's just music.": This music video raised awareness for the injustice of black people in America and the way that black people have been continuously mistreated in America but this comment has adopted an ignorant approach towards the music video and sees it as just music despite the powerful message behind it. This music video empowered many young black people to go and make a difference for black people in society but this comment is simply ignorant by ignoring the representation of injustice for black people and the stories of how many black lives were lost 
• "This is (not) America": This is another ignorant comment because they have simply disregarded the decades of mistreatment of black people in America and all of the lives that were lost under the hands of racist Americans. Despite the very real statistics, some narrow-minded audience members refuse to accept that they have mistreated black people in America for decades. This comment suggests that some Americans refuse to hold accountability for the way they have treated black people even though there is very real evidence for this mistreatment

Music Video Introduction: Blog Tasks :)

Media Factsheet #69: Music Video

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. However, other connected products are also marketed by a music video 

2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

The digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos completely because before, songs were only available at specified times in places that were approved by the record company (such as on weekly television chart countdown shows). However, the development of new media technologies meant that music videos, and the songs along with them, were more widely available at any time. Videos could be uploaded to video hosting sites like YouTube and viewed using portable media devices such as mobile phones and iTouch devices, allowing audiences to see the video and hear the song whenever and wherever they liked 

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

The three major record labels behind VEVO are: Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media. VEVO is a video hosting site specifically for music videos and the content of VEVO is syndicated to YouTube in the UK with YouTube and Google receiving a share of advertising revenue for directing users to the official versions of music videos rather than those uploaded by a third party 

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

Movement, narrative, band/artist, lip-syncing, and intertexuality 

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

Narrative can be used in music videos to create a story that may relate to a song's lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story. Some music videos have much more explicit narratives which are more closely linked to the song’s lyrics- such as Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland which shows a girl moving into a house as Nelly sings: “I met this chick and she just moved right up the block”

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

The example provided for intertextuality in music videos was the Blink 182 video for All the Small Things which makes references to videos by pop artists such as Back Street Boys (I Want it That Way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a Bottle) by directly copying scenes. However, references can also be more esoteric and obscure, allowing the audience to feel pleasure when they recognize the reference. For example, the video for My Chemical Romance’s Teenagers features ‘alternative’ cheerleaders, which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. Most fans of My Chemical Romance are likely to be familiar with Nirvana and this iconic video 

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

Audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products as it acts as a reward for them for their knowledge but can also be an acknowledgement of their interests- this can make audiences feel seen and acknowledged as others may not understand the reference if they are not familiar with the other text 

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice for each of the following headings and explain how each one links to the heading

 

Conventions (movement/narrative/artist): 

• In pop music videos, there tends to be a lot of movement to match the up-beat tempo of the music and this is seen in this music video during the "fight" moment in the video 
• There is often a narrative that reflects the lyrics of a song through a story that progresses through the music video 
• Taylor Swift is known for the narratives in her music video and the narrative in this music video is arguably the most distinguishable as we are presented with a clear progression of events- especially as this is a love song, a clear narrative can be portrayed 
• Pop music videos can be performance led, narrative led (or both) and it is clear that this music video is narrative led due to the clear story that is being told 
• In pop music videos, there is usually reference to the artist's name or song in the music video. In this video, as she sings the title of the song ("Blank Space"), Taylor's name appears in a tree carving where it says "Sean + Taylor" in a heart
• Taylor switches from singing to the audience to the man in the video repeatedly throughout the music video 
• There are a lot of establishing shots to establish the location of the scene and then there are long/mid shots where there are tracking shots of the artist 
• The use of close-ups allows us to understand the artist's emotions throughout the video and there are also scene where there is a tight frame to keep focus on the artist 

Intertextuality: 

• There are intertextual references to Wuthering Heights where they were dressed in dark clothing and had to make their relationship seem dark and sinister with a Gothic and mysterious feel 
• There are also intertextual references to The Picture of Dorian Gray where the man's portraits are slashed, followed by the slashing of his clothes 
• The red apple that Taylor is holding has intertextual references to Snow White's poisonous apple so the apple in the music video is reflective of Taylor's toxic/poisonous personality. The apple is red which also signifies the idea of the danger that the man is in due to her anger 
• The balcony scene references Romeo and Juliet which is a classic and iconic love story so the reference to this story creates the idea that their relationship is far from ideal and they should not be together but they can't be apart from each other 
• The shot of Taylor holding the apple is almost identical to the image on the front of the Twilight books which is another romance series 

Representation: 

• This music video portrays women as manic when they are in relationships because when the relationship in the video went south, Taylor began screaming at the man and fighting with him and we can see scenes where she drops his phone in the water fountain, slashes through a painting of him with a knife and vandalises the other paintings, cuts up all of his clothes and tosses them out of the window while they're on fire, smashes his car with a golf club and attempts to cut down the tree that they carved their names into 
• This music video also portrays men as the problem in relationships because he did something that caused their relationship to go downhill and Taylor clearly resents him for it 

Audience: 

• The target audience for this music video is likely to be for young people around the ages of 16-25 because this is when people start getting into relationships and listening to music about love or failed love
• The target audience is also likely to be around 16-25 because those are the ages that will understand the intertextual references throughout the music video 
• This music video is also likely targeted towards females because it shows how women deal with heartbreak and does not pay much attention to the way that men handle break-ups 
• This music video will not be aimed at older generations because due to the generational differences, an older audience would simply see Taylor as manic in this relationship but a younger audience will understand the struggles of modern relationships and sympathise with her instead of judging her for her actions and behaviour 

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

This video set conventions for later hip-hop music videos: the prop of a low rider car, the boys playing basketball, baggy clothing, gang culture, representation of 'the hood'. These conventions are now used in a majority of hip-hop music videos which leads to the suggestion that there will be a lot of intertextual references in hip-hop music videos 

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2022? Are music videos still essential to a band or artist's success? 

I think that music videos are still extremely important in music artists success in 2022 because a majority of artists produce music to distribute on Spotify but the income from Spotify is extremely limited so the success of an artist would have to be achieved through the production of a music video. If an artist aspires to be successful in the music industry in 2022, they would have to produce a music video and perhaps the production of a music video shows the dedication that the artist has to the music industry and this may allow people to take the artist more seriously. Music videos also give audiences pleasure if they like the band/artist and this creates an environment where like-minded fans of an artist can interact and share their opinions of the music video and perhaps fans will share the video with other people and the success of the music video will increase rapidly and allow the artist to become more successful as well. This is why I believe that music videos are essential to a band or artist's success, especially in the digital age where there is access to an abundance of ways to interact with other fans and appreciate music videos 

TV Index: Capital & Deutschland 83 :)

 My Capital & Deutschland 83 Index

1) Introduction to TV Drama

2) Capital: Case study and analysis

3) Capital: Marxism and Hegemony

4) Deutschland 83: Case study and analysis

5) Postmodernism and Deutschland 83

6) TV: Industry contexts

Television Industry Contexts: Blog Tasks :)

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read the Independent feature on foreign-language dramas

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

The article suggests that the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media were people who were pretentious, dull and odd but these days, foreign-language dramas have become fully mainstream 

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

Walter Iuzzolino suggests that the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows is the actual material of the shows. Foreign-language dramas were mostly for small, dedicated communities while now they are populist and successful. The shift in audience behaviours in becoming more accepting has definitely played a part in this and Walter Presents features shows that aren't so niche that international audiences won't be able to understand or enjoy the shows 

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

The article claims that the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age is due to how frequently we are distracted from TV viewing due to notifications from social media. Due to all these distractions, subtitles act as a good way to force us to focus as that's the only way you can understand what's going on. With this in mind, it could be said that we can be more invested in foreign-language dramas as we are paying a lot more attention to them than native dramas 

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

One of the audience pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article is surveillance. Iuzzolino states, "If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself is one of the biggest appeals". This suggests that the representation of Argentina that we see in the foreign-language TV dramas is so realistic that audiences can actually learn what Argentina is like through the show. There is also the audience pleasure of personal identity as despite the language barrier, "all human stories are about love, betrayal, life, death, violence, politics: the themes are universal" meaning that we as an audience can still relate to it 

Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

The article tells us that Deutschland 83's release schedule started off by being premiered on AMC Network's Sundance TV in June 2015. This made Deutschland 83 the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. Interestingly enough, despite being a German drama it was only broadcast in Germany five months after the US on Germany's commercial RTL channel. This signifies the series' global appeal before the show even premiered 

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

The first episode of Deutschland 83 garnered 3.19 million views in Germany which dropped to 1.63 million by the last episode. Channel 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83 reached a peak of 2.13 million viewers in a prime time TV slot, earning it the title of the UK's highest-rated foreign drama 

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October? 

The two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 are SundanceTV and FremantleMedia who announced in October that there would be a second series of Deutschland 83 called Deutschland 86 

4) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?

Walter Iuzzolino posts a 'Weekend Pick' on his Facebook page and engages with viewers on Twitter to gain the attraction of audiences in new foreign TV dramas. Iuzzolino suggests that this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK from once being something 'relegated to the elite' and the art-house to something for everyone to enjoy 

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television

1) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime have changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed to reflect that people could watch the whole series straight away. As a result, cliffhangers are of utmost importance at the end of each episode to ensure that audiences will be encouraged to watch the next episode 

2) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

The rise in streaming has led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers as audiences are now able to go back to episodes if they have missed an important detail that contributes to a complex narrative. Creators can now make their stories as complex as they want as they will expect audiences to go back to anything that might have confused them, additionally the rise in social media also means that audiences can ask other audiences for help in understanding some shows 

3) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

The 'economics of production' have kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format as dramas are usually shot in blocks despite being screened in episodes. This maximises the use of time and minimises the cost of actors and crew while part of a drama is filming. The dividing of dramas makes logistical and financial sense to hire on episode basis 

4) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

'Permanent 24/7 connectivity' has changed the production and consumption of TV drama as audiences can now live-tweet their criticisms or praises of a series. This means that it is easier for audiences to determine which shows are good and which are a waste of time, while for producers they can identify the trends in what audiences enjoy which can help to guide them when producing a new series 

Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries 

 Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45)

1) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

David Hesmondhalgh argues that since the 1980s there has been a significant shift in cultural production. A few of Hesmondhalgh's main points are: the cultural industries have moved closer to the centre of economic action, there has been an increase in media corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry, globalisation has meant media texts can now circulate more easily across borders reducing North American dominance, digitisation has allowed the technology sector to compete directly with traditional media companies 

2) What is technological convergence? 

Technological convergence is when two or more independent technologies can be accessed on one device- the digitisation of media meant every media form could be accessed on computers 

3) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

Technology companies are challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry through digitisation- technology companies 'liberated' television programmes from broadcasters' schedules with on-demand viewing. Traditional media, television and print in particular have had to contend with declining audiences and advertising revenues. As the internet was created with taxpayer's money technology companies haven't had to invest vast amounts of money in a distribution network. Using the internet as a platform means that the whole of the wired world is able to access content 

4) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. The article explains this with an example of Netflix's Stranger Things that had a monster called 'Demogorgon' after a Dungeons & Dragons demon prince. To ensure that connection transcended language barriers, Netflix's team dug into old D&D materials to determine how various countries translated 'Demogorgon' in the mid-1970s. Consequently, the Demogorgon was renamed in some parts of the world based on what the demon prince of Dungeons & Dragons was called 

Postmodernism & Deutschland 83: Blog Tasks :)

Media Factsheet #54: Introduction to Postmodernism

1) Read the section on Strinati's five ways to define postmodernity. What examples are provided of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society (media-isation)?

The examples of the breakdown of the distinction between culture and society that were provided were Bruno and Borat (vs Sacha Baron Cohen) and The X Factor. Advertising has the power to make a poor quality product commercially successful if it has great advertising while an excellent product can fail without it. Bruno and Borat have more 'reality' for film audiences than their creator (Sacha Baron Cohen) because the characters seem real so they can get away with doing and saying things that a 'real' person could not- he is also only interviewed in character so his characters have a voice and he does not. The example of The X Factor is because of the fact that the contestants perform covers of cover versions of songs 

2) What is Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness'? How can the idea of 'historical deafness' be applied to Deutschland 83?

Fredric Jameson's idea of 'historical deafness' is that as mediaization increases, the culture loses a sense of historical context and now history is just reduced to ‘talking heads’ documentaries and historical knowledge that is often based on media representations. 'Historical deafness' can be applied to Deutschland 83 because the Cold War was dramatised in order to make the show entertaining for audiences to watch and the real events of the Cold War become distorted 

3) What examples and theories are provided for the idea of 'style over substance'?

The examples provided for the idea of 'style over substance' are branding and celebrities- people are heavily influenced by branding when purchasing products because the label of a product becomes more important than the actual product and the packaging becomes more important than the contents. The increase in celebrities through reality TV shows can be seen as the culture celebrating style over substance- many celebrities nowadays are famous for being famous rather than for a talent or ability and because of this, Jameson argues that 'style over substance' creates a cultural depthlessness. Similarly to Baudrillard, he sees the culture as being one where meaning is lost and all that is left is surface representation but he also argues that this is sometimes countered by outrageous claims for extreme moments of intense emotion (for example, the shared cultural grief after the death of a celebrity- Jameson claims that these emotional outbursts are a way of replacing the shallowness of ‘style over substance

4) What examples from music are provided for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture? Can this be applied to Deutschland 83?

The example from music for the breakdown of the distinction between art and popular culture was provided was that pop music (low art) often samples classical music (high art). This could be applied to Deutschland 83 because the supermarket in West Germany was playing pop music which is not what audiences would expect to be similar to what would be played by the youth in East Germany. Although there were distinct differences in West and East German living standards, we are able to see how West Germany tends to listen to low art music in public places as opposed to high art music 

5) What is bricolage? What examples of bricolage can be found in Deutschland 83?

Bricolage is the process of adapting and juxtaposing old and new texts, images, ideas, or narratives to produce whole new meanings- we can see this in Deutschland 83 where there are juxtaposing representations of their parties. High art (classical music) was being sang at the West whereas low art (pop music) was being played in the East 

6) How can the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 be linked to postmodernism? Read 'The decline of meta-narratives' and 'Media texts and the postmodern' to help answer this.

Postmodern societies have presented the idea that people no longer believe that there are no absolute ways to explain reality- high profile failures of some grand narratives have led people to question whether it is possible to find an all-encompassing ‘answer’ to social and economic problems. Deutschland 83 has meta-narratives of communism and capitalism which help provide audience pleasures such as surveillance/information- the conflict between capitalism and communism in Deutschland 83 and which is considered to be 'right' provides an example of the confusion of a postmodern society

7) Read the analysis of media concepts and postmodern approaches on page 3 of the factsheet. Choose three of the concepts and write an example from Deutschland 83. 

• Genre: Deutschland 83 is a hybrid genre of spy-thriller and romance and drama- this is representative of how postmodern texts play with genre codes and subvert them. This can be simply constructing a hybrid genre which can be harder to identify in more complex texts 
• Representation: The protagonist in Deutschland 83, Martin, is infiltrating the West through a fake identity that includes deceiving others and putting others in danger and from the first episode, we are positioned to sympathise with this character. Postmodern representations typically subvert expectations and contemporary texts often play with conventional ideas in representations such as creating an immoral hero or a sympathetic villain
• Ideology: The protagonist in Deutschland 83 is a spy but this is seen as heroic by the East Germans because they know it is being done to defend their country. Postmodern texts complicate notions of ideology and challenge the simplistic binary oppositional approach- for example, evil acts may be undertaken with good motivations, characters may be good at times and evil at others, those representing good do not always win the ideological battle within the text, good and evil are often shown as being subjective and changeable ideas (depending on context) 

8) Now look at page 4 of the factsheet. How does Deutschland 83 demonstrate aspects of the postmodern in its construction and ideological positioning?

Deutschland 83 demonstrates aspects of the postmodernism in its construction and ideological positioning because of the construction that allows a realistic representation of what Germany was like at the time reinforcing the political and social divide between the West and the East. The ideological positioning of Deutschland 83 is difficult to establish because the spy protagonist is depicted to be somewhat innocent despite the harmful nature of his mission 

9) Which key scenes from Deutschland 83 best provide examples of postmodernism? Why?

• The supermarket scene: There was pop music playing in the supermarket (despite the fully stocked shelves) which was similar to the music that was playing in the East- provides us with an example of bricolage 
• President giving speech scene: Ronald Reagan was giving a speech in the show to make it feel more authentic and real and give the audience a sense of hyper-reality 

10) Why might audiences enjoy the postmodern aspects of Deutschland 83? What audience pleasures might elements of bricolage or pastiche provide viewers?

• Surveillance: The news reports provide a sense of hyper-reality that even allows the audience to learn something from watching which provides the surveillance audience pleasure 
• Personal identity: Elements of pastiche allows the audience to feel a sense of nostalgia if they recognise the original work that the pastiche is imitating 

TV: Deutschland 83 Case Study :)

Introduction: Reviews and features

Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:

The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83

The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in reviews.

• Positive: The strategic storytelling in the 'near-perfect series' with the first episode being the most-watched foreign-language drama in UK history 
• Criticism: Played into the stereotypes of Stasi officers being cruel ideologues and West German officers having messed up peoples' private lives 

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

Because they stated that the story was too focused on Martin Rouch so the Stasi agents were not written in a way to be empathised with on a human level

3) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

• "It was watchable and different but full of holes and implausibilities"- I disagree with this comment because this person seems to barely tolerate the show but there are certain aspects of the Uses and Gratifications theory that could prove this comment wrong for a lot of people. This show has presented aspects of surveillance, personal relationships and even personal identity in order to make the show more enjoyable for a variety of audiences 
• "It has a subtlety sadly missing from 90% of German comedy"- I agree with this comment because this show has a casual nature to make it much more enjoyable to watch. Many media products regarding the Cold War are documentary-based but this show presents a new and refreshing approach by incorporating a sense of casualness and subtlety and arguably even comedy
• "Loved this series. I was in West Germany in the summer of 1983 and I thought the programme makers captured the mood of the time perfectly"- I agree with this comment because this person has first-hand experience of what it was like to live in West Germany so this person has personal identity with the show (applying the Uses and Gratifications theory) so this may be the case for more German audiences because they may feel reminiscent of what living in West Germany was like with aspects of nostalgia too

Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features

Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

He said that growing up in united Germany meant that there was no West or East Germans anymore because he was born in 1990- he says living in united Germany meant he greatly values his freedom and mobility

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience?

Channel 4 has potentially done this as an attempt to be innovative and inclusive in the same way that Deutschland 83 has done. By having a British public broadcaster broadcasting a foreign show and interview emphasises their innovative nature compared to other public service broadcasters. Other public service broadcasters may be more concerned with being successful and gaining money but Channel 4 has presented this show in order to be more inclusive for other languages without regards to success or profit- this may show how advanced and developed Channel 4 is compared to other public service broadcasters 

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

This may interest a Channel 4 News audience because if they are watching a news channel, they are likely to be concerned with news and politics- whether that be politics and news from the time of the Cold War or news in current time. An audience that is fascinated by news and politics may want to compare what it was like during the time that Deutschland 83 was based compared to nowadays in Germany. Other public service broadcasters may not pay much attention to the politics of other countries but by Channel 4 presenting this news, it shows that they are trying to educate and expand on their inclusivity so that German audiences feel seen and accepted

Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations

We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene: 

-Handheld camerawork at birthday party n the East- gives the audience the impression that we are attending the party with him

-Camerawork at in the West is a 360 degree handheld shot- gives the impression that we are being watched 

Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender: 

-Representation of East is warm, intimate, friendly- positive representation of family

-West never focuses on one character for too long so we are unable to form emotional attachments on any of them- the audience is encouraged to maintain distance from the West 

The working-class is fetishised and the middle-class is criticised in the West 

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene: 

-Use of colour in the West shows that it is full of bright colour- Puma logo red shirt, supermarket shelves full of colour, fruit 

-Full supermarket shelves are almost an intertextual reference to the 1960s pop art and Andy Warhol's famous soup can- very postmodern scene 

Audio codes – particularly music: 

-Music: Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These- the 80s soundtrack is diagetic sound that plays in the supermarket in which the lyrics can be applied to Martin's first experience in the West

-Dialogue on the bench: "The freedom of the West is that they don't pay attention to you"- dominant capitalist ideologies

Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy: 

-Shot of police eating ice cream in the West is symbolic of the differences between the East and West- starts to create the positive representation of the West

-Gender: "What does Annette want?"- reductive, stereotypical representation of women and is historically representative of the time

-Music- reinforces American/British influence on Western culture with pop music 

Audience pleasures: 

-Soundtrack- 80s nostalgia

-Dialogue in the supermarket about missiles in 1983- historically accurate so it provides the audience pleasure of surveillance 

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing: 

-fast-paced montage sequence- very quick cuts, including jump cuts to present the idea that there was little time to learn everything in order to not get caught and perhaps the abundance of scenes shown in such a short time reflects the abundance of information in Martin's brain in that short time

-split screen/animated texts and logos- used to compare and educate the audience (and Martin) about the differences between the East and West

-Shots through windows/from high angles- create the feeling of spying/surveillance

Audio codes: 

-German soundtrack from the 80s- adds pace to the scene and may be recognisable for a German audience

- Mix of diagetic and non-diagetic sound along with voiceovers and dialogue

Audience pleasures: 

-Brand logos, text on screen, products to show differences in Germany in 1983- e.g. fruit in the West compared to the empty space on the East which a German audience may identify with or an audience pleasure of surveillance for an audience looking to learn more 

Intertextuality: 

-Gadgets and spy gear- almost gives the feeling of a Bond movie 

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing: 

-Use of close-ups: lock-picking, Martin's face, documents, map of Germany, Ronald Reagan's signature- recreation of real documents released by the US government in 2013 

-Shot through the blinds- continues visual motif of surveillance-style camerawork

Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound: 

-Exaggerated diagetic sound- used to create tension (lock-picking, breathing, etc) 

-Low non-diagetic soundtrack- classic spy thriller genre convention

-Background noise used to create the feeling that he is going to get caught

-The music stopped when we heard noise outside the door- suggests that as an audience, we should be holding our breath and being silent in anticipation as though he will get caught if we make a sound

Audience pleasures: 

-Uses and Gratifications theory- personal relationships used because this scene is only effective if the audience wants Martin to get away with it 

-Historical accuracy- real documents used in order to create the feel that these events are real 

Production and industry contexts

Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

UFA Fiction is the kind of company that combines production activities of UFA in the areas of series and series, TV, movies, high-end drama and cinema films. They have a astonishingly impressive portfolio that has influenced the German television landscape, some of their works include: Unsere Mütter, Unsere Väter, Nackt unter Wölfen, Ku'damm 56/59/63, Deutschland 83/86/89, Charité 1/2/3, Ein Strong Team, Die Diplomatin, Soko Leipzig, Soko Munich 

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

Freemantle is the kind of company that independently creates, produces and distributes content- they are an independent group of talents, studios/producers, content makers, creative incubators, culture shapers/game changers. They have produced: American God, Family Feud, The Rain, Too Hot to Handle

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

Deutschland 83 reflects the international nature of television production as, despite the TV Drama being entirely in German, Deutschland 83 was more successful in different countries such as the UK- this is likely to be due to the fact that Deutschland 83 was produced by a German company but was distributed by a global distributor 

Walter Presents

Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

Channel 4 introduced 'Walter' as a "humanised" version of an algorithm that picks the best TV dramas with the best storylines and characters. By making 'Walter' seem like a real person, the audience is more likely to trust Channel 4 and the services they have to offer because people tend to trust people more than machines so this also builds the good image of Channel 4 as being trustworthy 

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

I think that Channel 4 is trying to appeal to an audience in around their mid-twenties because there were elements of romance, nudity, action, drama, and other dark themes which may not appeal to an audience younger than their mid-twenties because they typically tend to look for lighthearted things to watch and aren't attracted to the dark themes 

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age

The 'Walter Presents' series reflects the changing nature of television in the digital age because we can see that they feature a lot more foreign TV dramas which is still unusual for most other broadcasters- this clearly highlights the changing nature in the consumption of television because people are trying to expand their knowledge on other cultures which is something that is very common for young people in the digital age because they are constantly trying to expand their knowledge 

Marketing and promotion

Trailer

1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

Using Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory, we can see that the audience pleasure of surveillance is present because we can see real footage of the president from that time giving a briefing and this means that audiences can learn from this show as there is real information being given and it isn't just fiction. Despite the audience pleasure of surveillance, there is also the pleasure of entertainment which is caused by the fighting scenes that keeps audiences engaged because they are entertaining to watch 

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

Using Barthes' enigma and action codes, we can see that there have been a few enigma codes created. One being the shot of Martin's mother who was rushed into the hospital with a pale face so the enigma code of whether she was going to live or not was created. There was another one where we see someone tapping Martin's shoulder but we don't know who it is so the enigma code of who is tapping his shoulder is created because we don't know if this character is on Martin's side or if it is somebody who is going to get him in trouble. Another enigma code is created when a character holds a gun up to Martin so the audience is unaware of whether Martin is going to get shot or not 

3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

I think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue in order to emphasise the fact that this show is for anybody to watch and is not just exclusive to German audiences. If there was German dialogue in the trailer, British audiences may feel like this show is not for them to watch because it is not in their language and they will feel out of place and just not watch it 

Press pack

Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here). 

1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?

Anna Winger used historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama as she based Martin (the East German protagonist) on her husband when he was in West Germany in the military. Her husband would listen to Russian troops in East Germany as he was a radio signaller in the West. The Russians would greet him by name which revealed that they knew he was listening  but there was also a mole at his base that he never discovered which gave Winger the idea to write a story from the perspective of the mole that was never discovered and this character was written as Martin 

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

The soundtrack of Deutschland 83 may attract an audience because the top 100 songs from 1983 are still listened to in modern days which means that people still enjoy music from the 80s. This may also attract an audience that grew up listening to music from the 80s because it may introduce the feeling of nostalgia and allow those audiences to reminisce on what it was like listening to music like this in the 80s

Press release

Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).

1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why is considered the most successful foreign language drama?

• Deutschland 83 is now the highest rated foreign-language drama in UK TV history 
• It launched with 1.49 million viewers
• The first episode attracted 2.5 million viewers (overtaking the launch of The Returned on Channel 4 which previously held the record with 2.2 million viewers) 
• Deutschland 83 is the first German-speaking drama to play on a mainstream US cable network

Deutschland 83 is considered the most successful foreign language TV drama because of the impressive statistics that were generated. Despite the show being in a different language, the enjoyment of the show overcame the language barrier and allowed it to become the highest rated foreign-language drama in UK TV history 

2) How does the press release describe the drama?

• Daily Mail: “Evocative and gripping"
• The Daily Telegraph: Great fun, and powered by an irresistible 1983 vintage soundtrack”
• The Times: A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents”
• The Guardian: “This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession”
• TV Times: "This is the next subtitled sensation... unmissable TV”
• Grazia: “It’s only January but let’s call it already: coolest show of the year”

International marketing

Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).

1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

The UK DVD cover communicates the sub-genre through the choice of words on the wall behind that reads "OVER THE WALL, UNDER COVER" which has strong connotations of a spy drama because "UNDER COVER" gives the audience the impression that he has to hide his identity in order to find something out. We can also see the two contrasting sides of the wall and perhaps this represents the East and West of Germany so this may cause some conflict. This leads me to believe that this is a spy drama with some elements of action (caused by conflict of both sides of Germany)

2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

• UK DVD Cover: In this cover, a bright yellow font has been used for the title of the show and perhaps this has been done in order to be the first thing that the audiences' attention is brought to. We can also see that the two sides of the wall are contrasting from dull colours to bright colours and perhaps this binary opposition is to reinforce the differences between the East and West of Germany
• Sundance TV Poster: This poster has a much more colourful background where blues and pinks and purples have been used and perhaps this is a more lighthearted approach to promote the show that would appeal to an audience that would attend the Sundance Film Festival

3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

I think that the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries in order to appeal to each specific country that they are promoting the show to. This means that different countries may be more interested in certain things more than other countries so they have adapted the marketing campaigns in every country to appeal to the vast majorities interests