D83 Trailer

- Song is 2 tribes by Frankie goes to Hollywood
- Ronald Reagan - speech, cold war
- Fast editing - action packed - high production value
- Enigma codes - 2 sides? Romance? Spy? running?
- East vs West = Violence 

The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective
In the opening of the trailer we are immediately shown the image of war with the fast past diagetic music, communicating a correlation between violence and high-impact TV. The cuts between shots are fast-paced and there is a lot to view on the screen, mirroring the fast paced nature of the show and enticing audience members who are attracted to the genre. The editing also halves the screen for example east vs west or solder vs spy, highlighting the binary opposites and the division shown throughout the programme.

D83 poster analysis

D83 Characters

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_DjyWCuaqamnfU_B62M7AafP4n-2a6lqDdAFn4k_NtE/edit

D83 Representation task

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r36RS_DcuCOVpmS1pqZCX4zsvXKWB-FixLj5Mp-dYyQ/edit

Deutschland '83 Walk Through

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1foOYxgge1PgdZ2zviXXyl17THEvPwMAQtUKHnfH7aDI/edit

News essay

Research: Germany in the early 80s

Berlin wall background:After the 2nd World War, 

Germany was divided into Eastern and Western Germany.
- As a result of this the Capital, Berlin was also divided into east and West.
- The West was very capitalist, modern, free owned by the Uk and Us whereas the East was communist under the ruling of the soviet union. The East was government controlled using the secret police, The Stasi.
- For the first 7 years after the split, people were allowed to travel between the borders which let many people in the east move to the west.
-In August 1961, the border closed splitting Berlin, splitting up families and an 87 mile concrete wall was build to divided the two sides, there were 176 watch towers making sure people didn't cross.
- There was a space between the wall called the death strip were people would be shot dead if entered.
- There were several checkpoints that people could cross between, mostly Uk and Us people. One was called Checkpoint Charlie used primarily by Americans.
- It stood for 26 years but in the 1980s many started to criticize the wall. In a speech from Ronald Reagan, the American President, he stated 'Tear down this wall!'
- This cause many Eastern Germans to protest resulting in them approaching the wall and destroying it by hand.

In an effort to stem the tide of refugees attempting to leave East Berlin, the communist government of East Germany begins building the Berlin Wall to divide East and West Berlin. Construction of the wall caused a short-term crisis in U.S.-Soviet bloc relations, and the wall itself came to symbolize the Cold War. The wall symbolized the lack of freedom under communism. It symbolized the Cold War and divide between the communist Soviet bloc and the western democratic, capitalist bloc. 

Politics:

• It was the time of the cold war, with peace demonstrations in Bonn (then the capital of Germany) and elsewhere, and also the founding time of the Green party:

• Left-winged terrorism by the Red Army Fraction (RAF) killed several people, mostly prominent economic leaders (Herrnhausen of Deutsche Bank, Beckurts of Siemens, Zimmermann of MTU…), but also the US were target of attacks, like at the airport of Ramstein (1981)

Economy:

In economy, the decrease of heavy industry (coal mining, steel production) was at it’s peak; coal mines had already been closed in the 60s to 70s with few exceptions, now steel production was breaking apart. The following restructuring of the German economy led to the expression, that “Germany is the weak man of Europe”

In East Germany:

There were no bananas. You could only get them once or twice a year, and you’d only be notified of their availability by word of mouth. So you’d have to rush to the veggie store and stand in line to get your one banana per person in your household. They didn’t have much choice of where they could go on vacation. Holiday homes were usually linked and subsidized through work and you could obtain use of them once in a while.

You could only watch one of a few state channels, but radio waves know no walls, so those close to the border were able to pick up signals from the West.

Described as very grey. Whenever someone left they felt as though they were being watched even if they weren't. "As a child, I didn't know you could paint houses"

Public transport, travel, rent were all relatively cheap as well as basic food. "If you were young and didn't expect too much, then it was pretty easy to live a good life". People claimed they felt safe because of the high security. "You knew that whatever happened they had an eye on you, for better or for worse"

Equal pay for equal work, 90% of women worked.

Why was there so much tension and suspicion?

- Many east Germans were put under surveillance if the stasi thought that they were being rebellious by associating themselves with Western culture. 

- East Germany regarded the west as being run by old fascists and corrupted by big, international companies. They suspected the west to prepare for WW3. The west stated that the east deprived citizens of their human rights such as freedom of religion, speech and ability to leave the country

LFTVD ST Essay 2

The serial I am analyzing is Stranger Things and my set piece is episode 1. The drama follows specific long from TV drama (LFTVD) conventions which are imperative parts to make the programme interesting and exciting to watch. The series is set in the 80s and takes on a non-linear format with a fragmented narrative. The story line is based on the disappearance of Will and also has a multi-strand narrative which is important because it allows the audience to be constantly invested and immersed within the show, something that was the aim for The Duffer Brothers as well as to fit the conventions of a long form TV drama. The show includes many different narratives and an eclectic group of characters which allow the show to have many plot twists and, in turn, many different meanings and representations that are highlighted.

Stranger Things employs a fragmented narrative because right from the start we witness multiple parallel plot lines such as the laboratory, Eleven and the boys. We also see a non-chronological narrative strand in the flashback to Joyce and Will's conversation in Castle Byers. The fragmented narrative creates enigmas or questions for the audience, who have to work to figure out the connection, therefore ensuring greater audience engagement. We, as the audience, are immediately introduced to the genre of thriller through the scene of the scientist running through the laboratory. The diagetic sound of the alarm bell rings throughout the lab, alongside the flashing lights which appear to be a common aspect of the series, both introducing panic and an intense atmosphere to the show. A birdseye shot is then used to signify a being in more power or more dangerous than we have seen before. The shot shows the scientist looking up at the creature, along with the diagetic noise that it makes, and the audience are thrown into the sci-fi genre.

Stranger Things introduces the audience to many different genres. This is a key part to gaining loyal viewers as well as attracting a wide demographic as a few genres can be targeted as oppose to just one, for example, Stranger Things includes sci-fi, crime, fantasy and romance. An example of the romance genre is the love story between Steve and Nancy. The episode begins with archetypes of the popular, sporty character of Steve and the vulnerable, sweet and innocent character of Nancy, a relationship that appears to have intertextuality of many 80s teen romance films such as Sixteen candles. This typical relationship is enjoyable and classic for the audience to watch, whether they are young viewers similarly aged to the characters themselves or older viewers who have grown to love this narrative. In the scene with Steve and Nancy in her bedroom, the stereotype of Nancy is reinforced by the mise en scene of her bedroom. The pastel pink colours and décor of women and quilted patterns complement Nancy's personality well and greatly contrast the personality of her love interest Steve, making this narrative an immersive one as the audience invest themselves into the show to find out how their relationship grows. A jump cut is used to show the proximity between the characters. As Steve moves closer, the audience are made aware of the advances in intimacy within their relationship as it blossoms.

Regulation

Stranger Things Fandom

OCR: Is Netflix changing TV?

KEY FOR LFTVD ANALYSIS: PESATA

Point
Evidence
Specific
Analysis
Theory/ terminology  
Answer the question

LFTVD Essay

How are different social groups represented in the sequence you have analysed? What role does the use of media language, signs and signifiers have in constructing and presenting these representations as real?

In Stranger Things, teenagers play a big role in the story line. The social group of teenagers are represented strongly throughout ST and are the general basis for the serial. The episode follows the story of four pre-teen boys, Mike, Will, Dustin and Luke, playing dungeons and dragons in the basement, which contrasts to the older teenagers, Nancy, Steve and Jonathon, who all have their own stereotypes in which they support. The four pre-teens are represented as nerdy and pubescent in the second scene of episode one. Media language plays a significant role in allowing the audience to create this representation of the boys through the use of mise-en-scene. The boys are all wearing clothing typical to the age ST is set, the 80s, giving the episode a cultural zeitgeist, and have a real passion for the game they are playing, one that doesn’t appear to be played by the rest of the characters or teenagers, evidently setting the boys aside as young and naïve. The boys use derogatory terms to one another, such as “pussy”, which further communicates their age, as this type of language is not used by other characters in the first episode as well as signifying a close comradery between the characters. In addition, the use of the word “pussy”, used by Luke, could support a stereotypical representation of the social group of teenagers as offensive to one another, yet as we see later on the episode, they actually support a representation of teenagers as loyal and faithful to each other as they drive the force to find Will.

In addition, the older teenagers support stereotypes that appear to be attached to their age bracket. For example, in the scene with Steve and Nancy, Steve is presented as a charming, promiscuous character, which is shown through the kissing scenes with Nancy and when she reels off all the girls he has been with in the past. This could support a stereotypical representation of popular teenage boys as sex-driven and riddled with libido. This is then contrasted with the representation of Nancy who holds a ‘girl-next-door’ narrative as we see her find her way out of chastity with Steve. This is supported by her clothing as very neat and proper along with her hair purposefully clipped back, giving her an overall sweet and innocent representation. Both Steve and Nancy’s are represented differently between themselves and once again differ from other characters of the same age, like Jonathon, showing an adverse range of character types under the umbrella of 'teenagers'. All of these characters when considered together create a varied representation of teenagers and creates typical stereotypes that the audience can easily identify with as they have seen them many times before.

Furthermore, a representation of the social group of single mothers is showed evidently within the first episode. Will’s mother, Joyce, is one of the most important characters within the serial and a huge part of the main story line. We jump to her point of view often through episode one and follow her journey through finding her son. Joyce is represented in many different ways in episode one and we see a distinct contrast. At the beginning of episode 1, she is presented as a flustered and disorganised and we see Jonathon cooking breakfast for himself and his younger brother, which also shows a countertype of teenagers as caring and considerate. Joyce’s house appears to be cluttered and messy, supporting her disorganised stereotype, as she looks for her keys. However, it is evident that she wasn’t always like this as we see part of the fragmented narrative of flashback to a year earlier where the lighting is much brighter showing better times at Castle Byers, which contrasts to the present day, where it is grey and gloomy, showing pathetic fallacy. We then see another representation of Joyce as strong-willed and determined to find her son. Joyce is presented as loving and to have an unconditional love for her two boys. This therefore creates an ameliorative representation in the end for Joyce and single mothers and we venture through seeing her stressed and disorganised to a caring and determined woman, who is fighting for her son’s freedom.

Stranger Things Presentations

Circulation 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RDBwl4DcrSHPSEI3e_-kY4B-Kym7_Sv9t76ceN5_rHo/edit?usp=sharing

Production 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1hPOdOLhCoMXUMpyvVQj5BqzCWgECtAtC1casZ3Nv6iQ/edit?usp=sharing

Ownership 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1WcOZORCu8fFKySiAlzXFDJ8EZIe26SJyc9ijsDJm8p4/edit?usp=sharing

Distribution 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-1c6Ikuopbl7ItwvhWcHWAQfXHM3uzCAurdBLl_Wb08/edit?usp=sharing

Stranger Things Scene Representation

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cIgPCChMGMyrf2bl85u-gFB-VpjNy79kdA4Gy6eZGcg/edit?usp=sharing

Narratives

Stranger Things Timings

LFTVD Codes and Conventions OCR document

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lnEwWc-WK8_khx3IwLfuHOPIHjzIUqXo/view?usp=sharing

Narrative

Narrative is a structure/ chain of events in which a story is told. They are carefully considered when writing the screenplay and visually achieved through the editing of different shots. The narrative structure chosen directly affects how the audience experiences the story The story can provide certain messages and values It affects the audience's involvement and enjoyment LFTVD = complex, multiple narrative strands

 Narrative Structure

 Linear narrative- clear beginning, middle and end, chronological, A->B->C

 Fragmented narrative- non-linear, disjointed, no clear beginning, middle and end, C->B->A, shows parallel stories, closely replicate the way that human mind works and the audience has to try harder

 E.g. Stranger Things employs a fragmented narrative because right from the start we witness multiple parallel plot lines such as the laboratory, Eleven and the boys. We also see a non-chronological narrative strand in the flashback to Joyce and Will's conversation in Castle Byers. The fragmented narrative creates enigmas or questions for the audience, who have to work to figure out the connection, therefore ensuring greater audience engagement

Narrative Types 

Restricted narrative - we experience the story through the senses and thoughts of just one character- the protagonist, narrative cannot tell the audience things the main character does not know

Omnipresent - a panoramic, all seeing, view of the world of the story, not just one characters point of view, helps audience see a broader background, there is a number of contexts

E.g. The omnipresent narrative provides multiple gratifications for the audience, we can emphasize and identify with some characters, while gaining escapism and mystery from others

Narrative Endings 

Closed endings - one character's story which comes to a resolution at the end of the episode. Following ep. has a new story

Open endings - ends on a cliff hangers, story-telling technique, can be unsatisfying, encourages viewer to continue watching the serial

Theory

Todorov- Equilibrium theory 

1. Exposition -> 2. Introduction of conflict -> 3. Climax -> Resolution 

Strauss- Binary Opposites 

We understand the world by the relationship that two opposites have together. Narratives are arranged around the conflict of binary opposites e.g. hot and cold, old and young 

Stranger Things Scene By Scene Analysis

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sxIUCvEiLLUYktlxKZykRxhcdqfbHvSq/view?usp=sharing

Character Representations

More representations:

Absent Fathers:

This is an important theme as it is represented by several characters. Firstly, from the first scene of Joyce and Jonathan when they realise that Will is missing, you can see straight away that there is no father figure in the house. This is important when it comes to searching for Will, as when Hopper queries if Will could be with his dad, Joyce is confident that he won’t be there as he has no part in Wills life, as Jonathan is the father figure for Will. The other main way this is shown is through eleven. Although she knows her father (‘papa’), he is not acting as a proper father figure towards him. He is keeping her locked up like an experiment, even though she persists to call him papa. Finally, Mikes dad shows absenteeism even though he is present in his day to day life. He shows lack of care and consideration to his children.

Family Life and Relationships:

Relationships is a very important aspect in Stranger Things. Not only romantically, but also friend relationships. Without the friendship shown in the series, they would not be able to discover what has happened to Will. Friendship is used to show that sticking together can be used as a strength in order to save Will. Family life is also a very prominent theme within the first episode. Families are created within the series, not only by blood but with strong friendship bonds. Family life is highlighted when eleven is abandoned and has no family to look after her. She is taken in by Mike and he and the boys become a family to her as she has no one else.

Mothers:

Wills mum is one of the most important characters as she is a huge part of the main storyline. The theme of mothers is shown almost entirely the way through between Will and his mother when he goes missing and she goes through anything to get him back. Joyce is presented at the beginning as a careless mother, however as the episode progresses you see that she cares deeply for her children. The theme of mothers is important as they are often represented as being weak and soft. In Stranger Things, especially the first episode, you see a countertype of this immediately from Wills mother. As a single, working class mother she shows that she is strong willed and focused on finding her son, she doesn’t come across as weak, and she shows this through her actions when searching for him. 

Government:

In the first episode of Stranger Things, the government is a main theme. This is shown straight away as the first character to be shown is from the Governments lab. The government have control over everybody, and this is shown when the lady from the government shoots Benny when looking for eleven.

Teenagers:

In Stranger Things, teenagers play a big role in the story. Firstly, there are the main group of boys; Will, Mike, Lucas and Dustin. These are the boys who continue the story and are the main basis of it. Also, Jonathan, Barb, Nancy and Steve are a slightly older group of teenagers, who have their own story line within the story. The role of teenagers is important in the show as they show the difference between them and their parents. The teenagers being able to solve problems, show to the viewers that they are able to do the same thing as adults. There are examples of the teenagers acting as adults, for example Jonathan has stepped up and acts as the man of the house as their dad doesn’t live with them, so Jonathan is in charge of looking after Will, and also has to work in order for them to be able to afford their house etc.

Police:

Police is a key theme. One of the main characters, Hopper, is the police sheriff. Hopper begins as a stereotypical police man, however as his concern grows for Will, he turns into a countertype of a policeman going above and beyond for his job. Police are important in this as they usually work for the government, where as they work against the government as they are the bad people. Without the police Will would not have been able to be found.

Stranger Things Poster Analysis

80s Film Research

The Duffer Brothers created Stranger Things as a homage to 1980s films.

1. Ghostbusters 1984



Stranger Things salutes Ghostbusters with their use of the supernatural. The GB's wear big 'boiler suit' style outfits to fight the ghosts, similar to the men in hazmat suits in the first episode and official poster of Stranger Things. The outfits create a sense of purpose and intent to fight the forces that have put up a fight against the world in Stranger Things and Ghost Busters. Ghost busters also include 4 men working together to fight the ghosts similarly to Stranger Things, which starts off with 4 boys, before Will gets taken. GB uses intense music to create atmosphere and a sense of adventure. Music is also used heavily in ST to build tension and position the audience to expect something scary to happen, thus putting them on edge. The film includes 4 ghostbusters who appear to be the only ones capable of fighting the ghosts, as they are seen walking towards the camera in a line. ST also appears to have 4 boys who are working together to fight the demogorgon in their games of D&D.

2. The Goonies 1985



Old-fashioned yarn about a band of adventurous kids who take on the might of a property developing company which plans to destroy their home to build a country club. When the children discover an old pirate map in the attic, they follow it into an underground cavern in search of lost treasure but come up against plenty of dangerous obstacles along the way. This is very similar to that of ST. The Goonies follows children who are in the fight to help, just like ST, which includes children of a similar age, trying to get involved in a situation that would deem only acceptable to be tackled by adults. The Goonies is also adventure/romance genre which are themes both portrayed in ST, and we get to see the journey of how the children help out and take charge. 

3. Sixteen Candles 1984



Sixteen candles' romantic story line is similar to that for characters Nancy and Steve. The outfits worn by both Nancy Wheeler and Samantha Baker are very similar, along with their hairstyle and innocent nature compared to their love interest. Both the young teen girls are pining for older boys that appear to have laddish tendencies as they explore through chastity and romance. SC includes Jake Ryan who is a 23 year old athlete which is a larger difference than Nancy and Steve, who only differ in one year, yet the relationship that they share still appears to have a contrast, since the male in both SC and ST are 'experienced' compared to the 16-year-old girls who are not.

LFTVD Vocab

VOD = Viewing on demand

SVOD = Streaming 

Easter eggs = cross references so super-fans notice

DVR = Digital video recording 

Binge-watch = to watch multiple episodes of (a television programme) in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming

State of the nation = whats going on at the moment of release that could have an effect on how the programme is received

Cultural Zeitgeist =  Zeitgeist is defined as the spirit of a generation or a period of time. An example of zeitgeist is the free love and progressive thinking of the 1960s, this time period can resonate with the current day for a programme to sell e.g. Stranger Things is set in the 80s which people of today enjoy viewing

Constructed realism = the way in which it's media product uses the technical elements and what we see/media language to make the audience feel a certain way

Dominant ideology = a system or structure of beliefs/values/ideas about the way in which we should live, behave and think in any given society 

Long Form TV Drama

Each episode lasts from 45 minutes to an hour.
American Network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold a market share- this is the equivalent of Freeview
American Cable TV, HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel in 1970s - can take more risks. This is the equivalent of Sky or Virgin.

Trouble with UK TV drama - failed to meet the challenge of US cable channels to move to long-form, with their risk-taking content and style.

ABC1 audience means higher paid advertising

Subscription VOD (Viewing on demand)

-Content viewing via a TV still dominates in UK
-Growth of SVOD (streaming) web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Now TV is considerable.

Audiences
-Rise of binge watching started with DVD in late 90s/early c21
-US long form drama often uses EASTER EGGS and mid season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain media profile

Easter eggs - cross refernces so super fans notice

Why do audiences love LFTVD?

• High quality drama
• Multiple episodes/hours/years
• Content can be dark/difficult but innovative
• Now attracts some of the best/innovative writers/actors
• Time shifting (record and watch another time-control when you watch DVR)
• Easily accessible
• Keeps people invested
• Creativity 
• Characters change in ways that are surprising
• It allows to shows to play with theme and character development in unique ways

Subscription - Sky, Virgin
Streaming - Netflix, Amazon Prime

LFTVD can be any genre from crime to romance to comedy and mystery, narratives can be on any subject and themes can be hard-hitting like racism and grief but can also be inclusive of love and family.

Production values: $3-4million per episode

Top 3 ways of watching TV

Terrestrial: First 5 channels (more regulation, follow a PSB)
Cable: Sky, Virgin
Streaming: Netflix, Amazon Prime

Exam: Paper 2

30 marks - 45 minutes
10 marks - 15 minutes

TV drama needs:

• Location (various)
• Stock characters
• Multiple narratives
• 1 hour episodes
• Cliff hangers
• High production value 
• Has a number of episodes to help create narrative