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

Year 13 Summer Work

Task 3: Social Contexts 

DISABILITY:

-The Para-Olympics was covered by the media the most it ever has been in the 2016 Rio Olympics. It was shown on the BBC and also on Channel 4. This shows that the Para-Olympics is just as important as the Olympics. 

-Coronation Street, they showed a storyline about a child getting sepsis and having to have his leg amputated. This highlights to parents and carers the importance of ensuring your child is safe and healthy. The media, especially newspapers and magazines covered this as it is a common thing that happens but a lot of people are unaware of it.

REGIONALISM:

-Made in Chelsea stars typically are portrayed in the media as rich, posh and stuck up. However, when Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo entered the I'm A Celebrity Jungle, she became the nations sweetheart, and shortly after she appeared on Celebs Go Dating. She stopped the stereotype of Made In Chelsea Stars being stuck up.

-TOWIE stars used to be seen as stupid, vein and fake. However, especially on social media, Tommy Mallet, Pete Wicks and Chloe Sims have made successful businesses which all have been publicised positively, and cuts down the stereotype of a typical 'stupid' Essex person. 

-Geordie Shore stars tend to have a lot of bad publicity. They are known for getting drunk, having sex on tv, and a lot of swearing. The media, tend to criticise them for everything they do, however they are all quite successful as they all have a brand they own or represent. 

CLASS:

-In the media, especially newspapers, 'chavs' are known for being rude, of low social class and not very clever. They are stereotyped as wearing tracksuits, carrying knives and doing drugs. They are represented in a negative way, and recently, have had a lot of criticism due to the increase of knife crime in London. 

-ABC1 is typically upper class / middle class people. A is doctors, lawyers, bankers. B is teachers, nurses, computer programmers. Finally, C1 is shop managers, office managers and social workers.

-Beyoncé and Jay-Z's recent album 'The Carters' has been publicised both positively and negatively in the media. The positive of it was that they are a family unit, they have brought together their solo careers to create a new album. However, the negatives were that they are presenting themselves as being severely upper class, making it hard for normal people to relate. The media has criticised them as they have made themselves look above everyone, however they are actually no better than an average family, as Jay-Z cheated on her -  showing they're not untouchable.

AGE:

-Following recent stories in the news, e.g. knife crime, bullying on social media and grime and drill music,  have shone a negative light on the younger generation. They are being publicised as negative people, as they are causing reality stars to commit suicide due to commit suicide and also knife and gang crimes have increased dramatically. However, the stereotype is unfair and incorrect as it is only a small portion of people like this. 

-Elderly people are represented in the news as vulnerable and poor. There have been lots of recent stories about abuse in care homes for the elderly. This makes it seem as though all elderly people are vulnerable and incapable.

GENDER:

-#metoo is a movement against sexual harassment and assault. It spread virally in October 2017 as a hashtag used on social media in an attempt to demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace.

-LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. After India Willoughby and Courtney Act entered the Big Brother house at the beginning of 2018, it caused an uproar in the media, especially social media, as people were unclear on gender types and identities.

ETHNICITY:

-Following the release of the song 'This is America', the media went crazy about the music video and its hidden messages. Childish Gambino plays America himself, using violence and the use of entertainment as a distraction. As he says 'This Is America' he shoots a black man, this represents the use of gun crime in America. The video highlights black lives, and their history in the US, Childish Gambino's dance movements represent those of Jim Crow who was commonly used for minstrel shows. His dancing is a way to take the audiences eyes of what is happening in the background (the crimes). He is hinting that this is happening in America today, and that it needs to change.

-The Carters recent song and music video 'Apes**t' shows them as being of high importance, regardless of their ethnicity. They are stood in front of the Mona Lisa, which could be because 'they' are similar to the Mona Lisa in the way that people come from all over to see them. Later on in the video, during Jay-Z's verse, he is stood in front of a painting of a French tragedy, where a naval boat crashed - it symbolises where Beyoncé and Jay-Z are in their relationship right now, after he cheated on her.

SEXUALITY:

-NETFLIX: Sophia Burset (Laverne Cox) in Orange Is the New Black is transgender woman. The show is increasingly popular, and her story line grabbed the media as she took the change from male to female, and her journey was very heart felt and emotional.

-TV DRAMA: Sonia Fowler - Eastenders - became a lesbian, after being straight and having a child. The show, took this as a chance to publicise how this does happen, and how people who do this are normal, also showing you are allowed to be true to yourself.

-TV DRAMA: Rana - Coronation Street. Her change from heterosexual to lesbian took the nation by surprise as she is a Muslim. In the show, her parents disowned her but others accepted it and the media took this as an opportunity to show that this can happen and although Muslim guidelines are strict about adultery and sexual relationships, she should be allowed to be her own person.

Media Assessment Dirt 3B

The Big Issue Class Presentation