Blog task: Deutschland 83 Close-textual analysis

Blog task: Deutschland 83 Close-textual analysis

Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on TV drama. Remember, you can watch the episode for free on the All 4 website and the main reading and research tasks for Deutschland 83 are on this case study blogpost here.

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

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene

The song that was playing was a west German pop song which the youth was listening to which could suggest that the youth doesn't really care about the war between the west and east. The audio that was playing was happy music.

The event that was taking place was a birthday party. The location this took place in was a gritty with run down buildings.

The camerawork was handheld which creates realism. The costume Martin was wearing was a army uniform.

In West Germany the houses are clearly much more modern and big with more brighter colours.

When Martin is going through the brief case when he wasn't supposed to, there were 360 degree camera angles which makes Martin look as if he is being watched by someone. It also creates suspense and tension.

West Germany is clearly portrayed as wealthy as there is food and wine on the table at the BBQ.

Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender

In Scene 1 gender is reinforced when the mother is cooking food. This illustrates that Women are the ones that are supposed to be in the kitchen doing the cooking.

Gender is reinforced again when Martin comes back from serving for the country. This reinforces that men had to go to war and fight for their country.

In West Germany it is clear that there is a wider range of ethnicity.

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

14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene

Martin was told to put on western clothes (Jeans, Puma T-shirt and a pair of trainers) when he was kidnapped from East Germany to West Germany.

Audio codes – particularly music

In the supermarket the song reinforces what might happen to Martin.

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

Audience pleasures

This creates enigma codes as the audience would question 'Will Martin make it out alive?'

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

20.40 – 22.40m

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing

Fast paced montage editing which compressed the time.

There was a numerous amount of jump cuts.

Voice over was used to shorten the time.

Audio codes

Non-diegetic sound (80's Soundtrack)

Voice over

Audience pleasures

Suspense was being created which kept the audience interested.

Intertextuality

Martin was  becoming the spy in West Germany, he was practising what to do while he's the spy. He was also given a new identity.

Similar to James Bond (Spy Genre).

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

31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing

Audience identification voyeurism.
Extreme close-ups of the locks and briefcase.

High angle shots - surveillance (The shots through the blinds) 

Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound

The music that was being used creates suspense as Martin is looking for the keys and files.

There was heavy breathing, Foley sound.

Audience pleasures

Suspense and tension was being built.

Diegetic sound.