TV: Capital case study
Our first television close-study product is BBC state-of-the-nation drama Capital. We need to know everything about the programme - from textual analysis of key scenes to how it was funded, distributed and promoted.
The key notes from the lesson are here:
Novel adaptation
- Capital is a BBC TV drama series adapted from 2012 book by John Lanchester.
- The book was set in 2007-8 either side of the financial crisis but the TV drama updates it to 2015 and changes the location slightly (Clapham to Balham).
Capital: a state-of-the-nation drama
- Capital is a ‘state-of-the-nation’ drama – designed to capture the issues facing the country at the time it is written and produced.
- In Capital, it focuses on the economy and the financial crash, immigration, London’s housing market and the incredible mix of people in a city of 8.5 million.
Reviews
Reviews of the Capital TV series drew attention to the state-of-the-nation aspect of the drama:
- Ben Lawrence in the Telegraph wrote: Capital shows “an eternal London, riven by inequality and quickened by diversity”.
- Ben Dowell in the Radio Times: “It shows Londoners trying to work out very real problems… there is a fierce intelligence at work here, a script which asks some very interesting and important questions but doesn’t force the answers down your throat.”
London 2009-15
- Following the global financial crash in 2007-8, London was not expected to quickly recover economically.
- However, house prices soared with some properties almost doubling in price in five years. By September 2015, the average London house price was £531,000.
- Traditionally working-class neighbourhoods in London suddenly had houses worth £1m+.
London: immigration
The Oxford University Migration Observatory published a report in 2011 regarding migration to London. Key quotes:
- “One in three London residents was born abroad, and a quarter of these migrants arrived since 2006. Nearly a half of the UK’s migrants live in London.”
- “London’s population is characterised by rapid flux. Area stability – the proportion of a neighbourhood’s population remaining in place over time – is far lower in London than the rest of the UK.”
- “Some of the most deprived migrants in the country reside in London, and some of the most privileged too… vulnerable migrants in London include asylum-seekers with subsistence-only support.”
Capital: case study blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to build a detailed case study for Capital. This will give you plenty of background information to use in an exam question. Remember, for this CSP the question could be on any of the key concepts: language, industries, audiences or representations.
Reviews and features
Read the following interviews, reviews and features on Capital:
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital?
the positive pints are the representations of London and how they showed the multicultural society so well with multi strand narrative which is very interesting.
2) What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?
the criticisms are that the drama is stretched a lot in one episode.
3) How does the TV drama change the time period and location for the story in comparison to the original novel?
The tv drama drama is done in 2010 and novel is written in 2007
4) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
he says that the housing of London is something which affects us economically.
5) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
The references made by the reviews are that the drama is focusing on the economy,wealth and immigration.
Textual analysis
Watch the trailer for Capital:
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
There is a bird eye shot to show the setting of the place and then slowly introducing the characters with close-ups
2) What does the camera movement when characters are initially introduced suggest about the drama and its London setting? Pick out one or two shots in particular.
The camera is moving very quick when introducing any character and there is bird eye shots taken to show the city London.
3) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
the trailer use mise-en scene by showing the costume that the characters are wearing which help portray what they are and also show props like laptop to show how people are educated,
4) Bastille's 'These Streets' is used as the soundtrack for the trailer. What does this communicate to the audience and why is it effective?
This communicates with the audience that there is something mysterious about the show.
5) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
This is done by showing all the characters in different timing with rhetorical questions and close-ups which builds tension,
Watch the Episode 1 preview for Capital:
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
This preview clips suggest sub genre's like mystery and crime.
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
This is done by police officers saying that' similar things are going around the neighbourhood.
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
The mise en scene of this clip is that costume the police officer was wearing which is formal and stereo typically right and the way the Asian family is working in the corner shop is also very real and familiar.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
The way that there is argument between the police officer and Asian is very interesting.
Watch the Episode 2 preview for Capital:
Watch the Episode 2 preview for Capital:
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
This clip represents upper middle class family life by showing the setting of the house which si newly built and showing a housemaid which shows that they are livinga comfortable and luxurious life.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
the narrative strands suggested by the sequence is the male dominance and showing the relationship of a husband and wife.
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Count, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
The audience are positioned to respond to roger of a very capitalist person who is always thinking about making money but is shown to be a good father as he si providing everything for his kids.
Representations: close-textual analysis
Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and Islam to the issues of asylum seekers and inequality. You need to be able to confidently discuss these issues in the context of 2015 London - with reference to key scenes from episode 1. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging and more.
1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in class:
Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55
You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc.
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?
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?
Kudos' parent companies are Endemol Shine Group, 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management.
The BAFTA Award-winning spy drama Spooks, which debuted on BBC One in May 2002.
Kudos have produced many other TV dramas, including Humans and Broadchurch. Kudos has won 4 BAFTA awards
The audience pleasures that kudos represent are escapism, narrative resolutions, identifying with a character which reflects individuals own life.
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?
capital sounds interesting because of the mystery created by the pictures which are sent to the enitre neighbourhood.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
They mention this to promote the drama to their other audiences with the mentions.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama.
he thinks that rocher is a very complicated chcracter who is always thinking about money and not focusing on other aspects of life.
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?
he suggests that some people believe that they belong to their community.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
azim thinks that capital is showing a representation of Asian families in Britain.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
his favourite scene is when rocher is left with his children and his wife leaves him in the morning which is shown as a very funny way.
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?
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?
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?
It uses their name to make a refrence on what type of drama and audience is needed to watch this drama.
.2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
The use of images of all the characters 3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
The diversity that is in london.
There is a lot of work here - easily 3-4 hours in total if you do in the depth required for the top grades at A Level.
Complete for homework - due Friday after half-term.
No comments:
Post a Comment