To continue our work on Deutschland 83, we need to read a range of articles on the foreign-language TV phenomenon. When answering the questions, consider the issues from both an audience and industry perspective.
Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas
Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?
The article suggests "Fifteen years ago, if you'd mentioned to a colleague that you'd spent Saturday night glued to a subtitled European drama, you'd have been quietly declared pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd."
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Walter Luzzolino suggets that "Walter Presents is a unique proposition. Its flagship show Deutschland 83 will premiere on Channel 4 on 3 January, while other shows will appear on More4. The rest will be drip fed to us throughout 2016 via the All4 platform, where series will be consumed in the form of box sets."
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
The article suggests that when you read subtitles, you are glued to the screen. In other words, you're more attached and aware on whats going on.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
Some of the audience pleasures of foreign TV drama is that the audience are getting a insight into different cultures. The unfamiliar setting gives a freshness to the genre pieces.
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
"Fiction has an important role," admits Iuzzolino. "Channel 4 has always had a core remit of being there as the young, intelligent channel that reflects society for what it is. It's urban, real and multicultural. The world is smaller with the internet and migration. "
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. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
The article tells us that Deutschland 83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany, with its US premiere gathering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany's 3.19 million.
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 German premiere had 3.19 million viewers. Each new episode saw that figure drop, and by the series’ conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million — it’s lowest figure.
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 is SundanceTV and FremantleMedia. SundanceTV and FremantleMedia finally announced in October that there will be a second series of Deutschland 83 (called Deutschland 86, more likely than not followed by the pivotal year of 89).
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
With this foreign drama revival spurred on by the series’ foreign viewers, questions surrounding the power of American/UK audiences and critics arise. The spy thriller’a presence in American television signifies that there is not just room for foreign and subtitled drama in an era when TV shows are frequently becoming more daring than feature films, but that audiences both want it and have an impact into whether it comes back.
5) 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?
Whilst Sundance TV provides their viewers with numerous foreign dramas, the TV channel and its streaming service also ventures into English language series as well as feature-length films. Like with the foreign dramas and films on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and so on, they are often surrounded by more familiar and/or promoted English-speaking shows.
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
" TV tends to feel culturally specific, tailored to domestic tastes — it gets piped into your home, and for many people serves as audiovisual wallpaper in the background while their attention is mainly focused elsewhere, something that’s impossible when you have to rely on subtitles to understand the action. While Hollywood studios are increasingly in the business of making films that have as much (if not more) appeal abroad than in the U.S. market, the small screen still frequently serves as a reflection of its viewers."
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
"On making “Prisoners of War” into “Homeland,” for instance, creator Gideon Raff noted that the original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an “open wound in Israeli society,” but that for the U.S. the emphasis was on the agent investigating the returned soldier, on a more American issues of distrusting the government and of a fears of agents among us."
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
The article suggests that people find subtitles really hard to keep up on as they'll have to read the subtitle within 3/5 seconds. Furthermore, subtitles can be very distracting for the audience as it is continuously changing.
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
Steven Van Zandt Speaking about the series, the second season of which premiered on Netflix last week, Van Zandt pointed out that before this point NRK had never sold anything internationally before. Serving as a writer and executive producer on the series as well as its lead actor, he suggested that “the way to make this more international is to make this more Norwegian. I want to know everything that is eccentric about Norway, different, funny, unique — all that I want to get into this show.”
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The tradition lengths for TV drama is 60 minutes, 30 minutes and 15 minutes. This arose from a girl schedule designed around hours and half-hours in order to make programmes easy to find.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
Speaking about the series, the second season of which premiered on Netflix last week, Van Zandt pointed out that before this point NRK had never sold anything internationally before. Serving as a writer and executive producer on the series as well as its lead actor, he suggested that “the way to make this more international is to make this more Norwegian. I want to know everything that is eccentric about Norway, different, funny, unique — all that I want to get into this show.”
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
“Your form of storytelling has to reflect the fact that people could watch [the whole series] straight away. So the hooks at the end of every episode are very important. But you also have to think about how you give information. With a thriller for terrestrial TV, you tend to have a recap at the start of each episode. But, with SVOD [streaming video on demand], you can get straight on with the story.” - The Guardian
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
Dramas – regardless of how they will ultimately be screened – are usually shot in blocks. In order to maximise the use of time, and minimise the cost of actors and crew, while part of a drama is filming, another team is prepping the next section. So, while a streamed drama theoretically need not be divided at all, it still makes logistical and financial sense to hire on episode basis.
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
"Permanent 24/7 connectivity has radically altered viewer responses. Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully democratised criticism, but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters. Stories about alleged outrage over incomprehensible actors or violent action often turn out to be based on the fact that, from among millions of viewers, a tiny handful tweeted disagreeably." - The Guardian
There is a fair amount of work here - the questions are not too challenging but there is plenty to read. However, this will prepare you brilliantly for the extended essay question in Media Paper 2 - particularly if the question focuses on industry or audience.
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