Skip to main content

Introduction to TV Drama

1) What is serial television drama? Write your own definition

A serial is a television show which has a continuous plot that unfolds in sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials are, more often than not, shows that possess narrative complexity. [1] They typically follow many story arcs that span entire television seasons, or even in some cases, the entire run of the series.
2) List five of the TV dramas discussed in the history of the genre on page 1 of the factsheet. How has the genre evolved over time?

Casualty, Holby City, Doctor who, Doctors and The avengers

3) List the sub-genres of TV drama featured in the factsheet. Come up with your own example of an existing TV drama to fit each category.

Downtown Abbey. 
Game of Thrones
The Walking Dead
Homeland 
Malcolm in the middle 

4) Why is setting so important for TV drama?

The setting of a story is important because it provides the reader with context on the time, place, and environment that the story takes place in. It is also important because it improves the reader's experience and adds to the story's development with plot, mood, and characters.

5) How do TV dramas typically use character? What audience pleasures can be linked to character in TV drama? (Hint: Uses & Gratifications theory!)

It allows the audience to have personal relationships and identity with the characters allowing them to be more engaged with the show and be more inclined to follow the show 

6) What is a multi-strand narrative? Give an example of a TV drama that features a multi-strand narrative.

Its a narrative structure which doesn't follow one story line. This happens normally in soap operas and long running episodic dramas such as casualty and hollyoaks 

7) What is a cold opening?

 A narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown.

8) How can Todorov's theory of equilibrium be applied to TV drama serials?

Todorov posited that all narratives contain equilibrium disequilibrium recognition resolution and new equilibrium this relates to all tv dramas as they have a new beginning a ending and a start of a new beginning therefore the drama doesn't end. 

9) What is the typical form for TV dramas and how are the programmes typically distributed to an audience?

TV dramas typically have a strong narrative and characters who can relate to the audience. The programs are distributed to the audience over adverts and billboards 

10) How have subscription channels (such as HBO) and streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime) changed the form and content of TV dramas?

They gave the audience the power of having a choice of what to watch on the streaming service. They look at what the audience likes and add the type of dramas the audience likes and what they watch  

11) Choose a TV drama and do your own analysis of it using the SETTING / CHARACTERS / NARRATIVE / FORM headings as featured on page 3 of the factsheet.

The last of us:

Setting:  A post-apocalyptic world

Characters: Joel and Ellie Father and daughter trying to survive the post apocalyptic-world

Narrative: The first season, based on the 2013 game, follows Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler tasked with escorting the immune teenager Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across a post-apocalyptic United States.

Form: you can stream it live on the Sky-owned Now streaming service (formerly Now TV), as well as watch it on catch-up.

12) How might the TV drama genre evolve in future?

The TV drama is gonna evolve in different genres it gonna have multiple endings or soap dramas may be boring to the audience as they are always continuing and playing therefore people may get bored as the show itself hasn't ended   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The British film industry: blog tasks

1 ) Write a one-sentence definition of what makes a film British. Films produced in the united kingdom   2) What is the difference between a Hollywood production context and production context of a British film? Hollywood studios have high budgets, a heavy reliance on celebrities both in the cast and crew and spectacle driven stories. Whereas British films  tend to have low budgets, character rather than spectacle driven stories and a heavier reliance on word of mouth and viral advertising. However  British films can be large budget, high concept films such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 or they can be character driven, small budgeted films such as Kill List 3) When did the James Bond franchise start? In 1962 The Eon series currently has twenty-five films, with the most recent, No Time to Die, released in September 2021 4) In terms of film censorship and graphic content, what began to change in British film in the 1970s a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mise-en-scene

  1) Find a distinctive   still image   and write an analysis of the mise-en-scene. Use each of the aspects you've learned in the lesson. CLAMPS . Costume Lighting Actor (placement and movement) Make-up Props Setting The Costume suggest that they are all old fashioned and that this is set in the late 1990s as they are all wearing suits or this may suggest that they are at a wedding or a party. The guy in the grey suit may be the main character as he is the only one in a grey suit. The Lighting is more so focused on the person in the grey suit which may show again that they are the main character. The Actor placement is one is standing straight up whilst the other actor is up against the car with his arms wide which may suggest that some conflict is gonna happen or the guy in the brown suit is scared and may try and run. Make-up there isn't that much make-up. There is some props such as the broken camera which may connote meaning that there was conflict just before it brok...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cinematography: blog analysis tasks

  1) Write an analysis of the cinematography in the opening sequence.  Highlight  your use of media language and try to cover camera shots, angles and movement using the terminology we have learned in lessons.  The opening scene consists of medium shots, close ups long shots, close ups low angles, high angles, extreme close-up towards the eye at the end of the shot, long shots, hand held shots, pan shots  2) How does the camerawork give the audience clues about the setting, narrative and character? It gives the idea of the medium shot of the people on the sofa could all be brothers or friends. Towards the end when it zoomed into the person eye which was a extreme close up could suggest that he is the main character which is clear and it has the title of the show and zooms right in you can also talk about the placement of the shot of him being in the middle of the shot which can relate to the title which is Malcolm in the middle we can use this to suggest that ...
Post a Comment
Read more