P2: TV Drama

 Tuesday 6th December 2022

Homeland

LO: To explore the narrative, theme and characters in set episode.

Homeland Narrative task.

Main Narrative Quest/Conflict Set Up: how is the main narrative introduced and what sets up the initial conflict/problem that will drive the rest of the series?

- Brodie is found in captivity after 8 years

Enigma Codes: what questions are created that the audience will want to discover the answers to and will have to keep watching to find out?

- How did Brodie end up captured?

- What happened to Brodie's friend  in captivity?

- Does Brodie's wife still love him?

- Do the kids feel any attachment to their dad?

- Will Brodie find out about his wife's affair?

- Why is Carrie watching them have sex?

- What pill does Carrie take?

- Why did Brodie lie to Jess? 

-Where is Brodie going?

Individual Character Narratives: (separate to main narrative) how are these set up/introduced and what are they?

- Carrie is always late.

- Nicholas Brodie is found in captivity. 

- Brodie's wife Jess is seen having sex with someone else when Brodie calls her.

- Brodie's kids are introduced in a chaotic way with the mum telling the daughter off for having a boy around and drugs, and that she should be looking after her brother. Jess tells them about Brodie

- Brodie family reunites with Brodie, mums happy, daughters happy, son is hesitant as he never properly met him.

- Brodie finds out his mum died 4 years ago

- Brodie's best friend is having an affair with his wife Jess

- When Brodie and Jess start making out, Jess sees Brodie's scars from captivity and panics, Brodie reassures her its alright, Carrie is watching them have sex through a device- use of silence

- Carrie wants to know why Brodie was kept alive- dim lighting in room, back and forth face shots of Brodie and Carrie

- Use of flashback when Brodie was in captivity.

- Carrie's friend listens into Brodie's call with Jess, Brodie lied to Jess about where he's going 

- Brodie flashback to when Brodie's friend was killed, says he was beaten to death- to establish enigma code

- Carrie has a mental issue- mental illness is compared to how is was then to today

- 10 years ago is referring to twin tower attacks in America 

- Mike confronts Jess about if she loves him and how they were meant to move in with each other, Jess tells him Brodie's her husband but it is clear she still loves him through a zooming in camera shot on their hands.

- Carrie thinks Brodie is making contact through his right hand as every time he's on camera he does the same hand sign

Characters:

Brody- Returning hero/Terrorist- family man, soldier, white, male, middle class, heterosexual

 Mike- Best friend/Love interest of Jess- traditional representation, beer/football games, helped Jess around the house

Jess- Brody's wife/Mike's love interest- mum, housewife, attractive, sexual object

Carrie- Protagonist- CIA agent, female, strong career,disliked, confrontational, driven and focused but lacks compassion, hyper fixated on doing the right thing, mental issues, sexual role.

Saul- Her (Carrie) mentor, her confident, reliable, sensible, in control, only one with faith in Carrie

David- Boss Deputy Director of the CIA, criticises Carrie a lot, relationship with her, political in his moves.

Aba Nasir- Main Antagonist

Narrative and Sub Plots:

Brodie- terrorist, possible attack, Carrie fighting to prevent the attack and reveal Brody as a terrorist 

Jess and Mike affair- 

Carrie's mental health-

Dana and Chris (kids)- rebellious narrative, stereotype, 

Jess and Brody- relationship breakdown.

Enigma Codes:

-Why did Brody kill Tom Walker?

- Why is he lying about it?

- Why was he focused on Whitehouse?

- Why is he lying about meeting Abu-Nasir

- Why did he lie to wife?

- What is the attack?

- Will Carrie find him out? Will Carrie get sent to prison?

Tuesday 13th December 2022

Narratology: Todorov

Narrative = Story

Equilibrium = a state of balance

Homeland

Equilibrium - Carrie working at the CIA no threat to security- power with the East as US don't suspect attack. Carrie- is unstable, not a trustworthy character, not as much power as men.

Disruption - Brody's release/discovery initiates the suspicion in Carrie

Recognition of disruption - Carrie confides in Saul- positions men as higher in power than woman.

Attempt to resolve - Carrie spies illegally on Brody- positions her as unstable, crazy, not trusted, not reliable. 

New equilibrium - No, as it is a TV Series. 

Genre Theory: Neale

Genre theory is about what genres are, and about how they are created, change endure or decline. Neale argues that genre is constructed through when generic codes and conventions are shared by producers and audiences through the repetition in media products. This insinuates that genres are not fixed but instead are constantly evolving with each new addition to the generic corpus (the body of products in a genre), often playing with genre codes and conventions or becoming hybrids with other genres. What Neale referred to as 'the intertextuality relay' was that codes and conventions are being in products such as critical writings or advertising and marketing material, so not just media products.

Genre and Homeland

- Thriller/Espionage/Drama- hybrid of genres, uses codes and conventions from all 3 genres.

- As a genre become more popular over recent years, as a result of 9/11 the spies genre has re-emerged in popularity. 

Homeland: Industry and Context

Summarise the information for the historical context

September 11th 2001 are still viewed as one of the most shocking, dramatic and traumatic days of recent history. The symbols that were presented as political power such as Twin Towers, Pentagon and The White House were targeted for an attack. The realisation that the US was not 'untouchable' through the loss of life and physical scaring on the city had a devastating effect on Western culture.

Summarise the information for the industry context

TV Video on Demand (VOD) systems can either stream content through a set-top box, allowing viewing to view in real time, or download it to a device such as computer. Both VOD streaming and free content are both provided offers from a TV-based television provider. 

Watch the opening of Bagdad scene.

Barthes - Signs

- majority of men

- tradition cultural religious dress 

- all boys playing

- Steady camera moving around chaotically- showing chaos in either situation or location

- Run down prison- barbed wire, military guards with guns, middle of yard is noose

- Middle East- barbaric and violent culture 

- Guard is smoking outside and to talking a random man he isn't meant to.

Levi Strauss - Opposites

- Cut to America - US is seen as upper class- suits, only woman is in dress (meant to look sexy and attractive), a sophisticated culture 

- Cut back to Middle East- tacky shops, and old cars

- When she gets out of car- men look and follow her, showing the difference in gender, we have seen no other woman on street.

- The Middle East will accept bribery because they are less fortunate than America 

Gilroy - White Superiority 

Tuesday 10th January 2023

(Absent)

Tuesday 17th January 2023

Brody Analysis

LO: To explore the narrative and characterisation in set products.

Antagonist - This is a person who is actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

Antihero - This is a main character in a story who lacks conventional heroic qualities and attributes, such as idealism, courage, and morality. 

We first see Brody at 5:22 mins being 'rescued' by armed forces from apparent captivity for the last eight years.

Review this scene from 5.22 mins. What mise-en-scene choices have been made to make him look like a POW (Prisoner of war)?

- explosions

- body camera- grainy footage, use of black and white to show severity 

- padlocked door

- small room

- overgrown hair, facial hair unkept- neglected without basic hygiene 

- dirt covered malnourished face- made to look like victim

Brody analysis

1. Victim- audience sympathise with him

2. Arrived home

Nicholas Brody: Reunion Scene
Outline what happens in the scene.

- Brody being sick on the toilet on plane. 

-David and the VP (Vice President) comes across as tactical. 

- David sympathises with Brody's experiences. 

- VP doesn't care about his experiences in captivity, only cares about how he's a hero. 

How is family represented in the reunion scene? How does Brody react?

- Brody looks scared, awkward as he's not sure how to act. 

- Family nervous. 

- Mum looks relieved, makes the first move to hug Brody- presents common female role by reacting first, makes a emotional noise to tell she missed him, Brody didn't make a move till she did, Brody fake smile which shows his lack of emotions and how uncomfortable he feels.

- Dana (Daughter) nervous but speaks to Brody second then hugs dad while crying but seems pleased to see him.

- Chris (Son) apprehensive to say do anything as he doesn't remember him.

- Brody doesn't emotionally react to learn his mum pasted 4 years ago- war has desensitised him to express emotions properly.

- Brody looks overwhelmed by cameras and massive crowds- reminds him of battlefield. Or being questioned during torture.

Family roles- awkward, distant, lack of role. Silence in reunion at first emphasis the awkwardness, broken by Jess and her love and emotions (traditional female) followed by shot of first meeting, lack of emotion and love, link to impact of war. under roles in society and expectations. 

Gender roles via Brody- hero- brave?male, reinforces tradition-dialogue, men in the audience of the audience of the soldiers, sound of traditional army band, flags to show the nationalism patriotism. backdrop of army/airforce, planes etc... female as the wife/mother an addition to the male hero role.

Brody- sickness- fear of return to family- steady cam footage reveals the unstable emotional state he is in. Close up on face, camera flash, PTSD, emotional in reunion speech, face is back to cultural norm- clean shaven, no marks on his skin, damage is hidden from war, later rev.

How is the vice president represented?

- Arrogant- with only thinking about 

How is Brody represented as a hero is S1 E1? - Reunion Scene

Brody is initially represented in the scene as awkward and uncertain as he's not sure how to act due to being captive, this can make him seem as the victim. This is seen in the reunion scene with his family as the silence in reunion at first emphasis the awkwardness and uncertainty which presents exactly how Brody is unsure how to act which makes the audience sympathise for him. 

Tuesday 31st January 2023

Homeland Representations

LO: To explore the representations and theory in set products.

Rep: Mental Illness

- Carrie's mental illness - her bi-polar, makes her amazing at investigating, she obsesses over detail so much that she gets to the heart of the matter every time. She knows before everyone else does!

- This was/is a growing trend in dramas - using mental health as a link to investigate brilliance (BBC's Sherlock and CBS's Elementary).

- Carrie's illness manifests itself in obsessive attention to detail, inappropriate sexual relationships and frequent hysterical outbursts.

- Mise-en-scene: Extremely wide open eyes, quivering lip, screwed up face and raking her hand through her hair to express her frustration with her inability to fully protect the US homeland.

- Carrie represents a familiar construction of a professional woman whose personal trauma underpins her role as a truth seeker and law enforcer. 

- The audience understands relatively  early that Carrie is right to be suspicious of Brody, but the show withholds diegetic recognition; indeed, her interest in pursuit of Brody, which merges personal obsession and professional responsibility, begins to undermine her status as a trustworthy protagonist.

- Initially, the show uses Carrie's illness to question her reliability - to her family, her profession and even to herself. The combination of being certain and then being proven wrong is what drives Carrie to seek electroshock therapy, as the closing sequence of season 1 ends. But the audience know - she is not wrong.

How is mental illness represented in Homeland?

Mental illness is shown through narrative actions such as raking her hand through her hair, as well as obsession with Brody's case. 

Postmodernism: Baudrillard

- Postmodernism is the idea that society has moved beyond modernism - either modernism in art and culture (early 20th century) or modernism in the sense of a belief in progress, which dates back much further.

- Baudrillard argued that, as modern societies were organised around production of goods, postmodern society is organised around 'simulation' - the play of images and signs.

- Previously important social distinction suffer 'implosion' as differences of gender, class, politics and culture dissolve in a world of simulation in which individuals construct their identities. 

- The new world of 'hyperreality' - media simulations for example, Disneyland and amusement parks, malls and consumer fantasy lands - is more real than the ' real', and controls how we think and behave.

Gauntlett and Identity

Media represents portray a wide range of different and contradictory messages about identity, which can be used by audiences to think through their own identities. Identities including gender and sexually are now seen as less fixed than they were in the past. 

Online media allow people to express and explore their identities. 

https://www.youbube.com/watch?

v=tTRk3Y6BnqA&list=PLm6BhMZgdGbBGcK-

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Gauntlett and Identity and Homeland

- Homeland offers diverse and contradictory representations that audience can use to think through their identity as they have the time and resources to develop implied representations through Carrie and her links to mental illness. 

- Homeland offers local representations that resonate with international audiences. Middle East and US representations. This increases the diversity of representations to reach an international audience, Homeland was successful in several international locations as a series.

- This assumes the power of the audience the power of the audience as active agents so may underestimates the power of media conglomerates in shaping culture and identity.

Tuesday 7th February 2023

Homeland: Review and Dirt (Absent).

L0: To reflect on and improve analysis.

The Killing

Tuesday 21st February 2023

LO: to explore the narrative theme and characters in set episodes. 

Who created the series? 

The series was created by Søren Sveistrup.

Which two studios produced the series?

DR and ZDF enterprises

What award did the series win?

Episode 1 was released in 2007. What Danish channel was it shown on and how is this channel similar to the BBC?

It was shown in the UK on BBC Four. How many viewers did it have in Denmark and then in the UK on BBC4?

What did Netflix do with the series in 2014?

Overview Narrative of Season 1

Main Narrative Quest/Conflict Set Up:

- Nanna Birk Larsen missing, Nanna she is murdered- how was she murdered? who killed her?

Enigma Codes:

-

Individual Character Narratives:

- Sarah Lund- Boss and is leaving her job, country- moving to Sweden with her partner, prioritises her job over partner and son Mark

- Oliver- Nanna's ex boyfriend

- Troels Hartmann- politician- has  a rat/leak in his campaign. relationship with his secretary- is suggested to be a bit dodgy. Corrupt politics as a theme. 

- Pernille + Theis- Parents explore their lives, working class lives, but respectable and hardworking.

Tuesday 7th March 2023

The Killing Characters

LO: To explore the narrative and characterisation in set products.

What does tis shot and MES suggest about Sarah Lund

Costume

- Simple- which presents realism

- Layers- this shows she is practical, not sexualised

Setting

- Outdoors- Nordic Noir

- Dark lighting- active on scene, not part of the weather or setting/location

Lighting

- Dim lighting- shows reality

Props

- Map in plastic- looking- active/practical 

Sarah Lund

- How is she first represented to us?

Normal Mother - Close up on face when looking longingly towards her sleeping son. Over shoulder shot looking into the bedroom. 

Partner to Fiancee - long shot of embrace, showing she does have a partner and established its not her dad or brother.

- Is she sexualised in any way?

Partner to Fiancee - Mise en Scene- costume choice to reveal a shot in her underwear - to show us that she is relaxed at home, and also showing sexual but comfortable relationship between them. 

Van Zoonen in The Killing

Only scene where Sarah is objectified is during the first scene where we are shown a long shot of her in her underwear. She answers her phone and taking on her work as her husband makes her a coffee, this shows that she is a mother but there is equality in their relationship. 

Representation theory: Butler: Gender performativity 
Butler says that gender is created in how we perform our gender roles - there is no essential gender identity behind these roles, that it is created in the performance. Performativity is not a singular act but a repetition and a ritual that becomes naturalised within the body.

Any feminism concerned only with masculinity and femininity excludes other forms of gender and sexuality, This creates' gender trouble' for those that do not fit the heterosexual norms.

Butler is an important postmodern writer and has influenced Queer theory- theory which deconstructs and aims to destabilise apparently fixed identities based on gender and sexualities. 

Butler in The Killing

Sarah Lund created her own life by being dedicated to her work, she has obtained a ritual to completing her work.

Sarah Lund Representations

Respected - Mise en Scene of the party, even the men respect her as shown in the card she was given by them. 

Leader - Dialogue, questions.

Focused - overhead shot- crime scene.

Brave - lighting torch, close up on evidence.

Fearless - close up blood- hand/face - not phased.

Strong - follows evidence alone, non-diegetic sound

Fun/ laid back - Mise en Scene- party- close up sign and her face.

Dedicated - Mise en Scene rain

Calculated - 

First seen in the episode of The Killing Sarah Lund is presented to be a fearless, strong and respected woman. Throughout the scene where she is investigating the 'crime scene' she is shown to be a strong wielded woman as she follows the evidence alone without concern as to what she might find, it's shown that when she is faced with a bloodied face she is not phased proven that fearlessness, further more when the scene changes to the party it is shown that the men respect her in the card she was given by them. Van Zoonon applies here as despite Sarah being a woman she is in charge of a group of men who trust her to lead them in the right direction without questioning her actions. 

Tuesday 14th March 2023

The Killing: Context

LO: To explore the social issues represented, specifically gender.

Starter Task

Explain the different connotations of how the two protagonists are portrayed through their costume, hair and make-up.

Sarah

- Simple- which presents realism.

- Casual clothes- laid back character- confidante in herself and her abilities.

- Layers- this shows she is practical, not sexualised.

- Map in plastic- looking- active/practical.

- Minimal makeup

- Hair- minimal effort, no styling- performance of role. 

Carrie

-  Smart suit- cares what others think of her- feels the need to prove herself as professional. lower cut top- revealing. 

- Minimal makeup- still has eyeliner, lipstick

- Hair- dyed, blow dried- gender roles created through performance. 

Denmark and Sweden

- Sweden and Denmark have fought each other for centuries and hold the record for most wars fought between them. It all adds up to around 30 wars since the 15th century

- In 1521, Sweden left the union leaving Denmark-Norway, which existed until 1814 when Norway become an independent nation.

The killing

- Props- viking hat, long blond hair- stereotypical viking image

- 'In the hands of the enemy'- refers to the police force, historical war rivalry. 

- 'If decomposed herring and light beer are your thing' - friendly rivalry/competition.

- Given Skies as a gift, skiing- cultural focus for Sweden.

- Colour of flag- difference reflects differences in culture.

Social Attitudes

Treated in workplace

Sarah

- Respected- Asserts her position to continue the search- Context: Gender should be equal reflected in her role.

- Party Scene- they throw a farewell party, give her a card thanking her for 7 years of being their boss, joke around with her- Context: Gender doesn't matter as they treat her how they would treat each other.

Carrie

- Not respected- Meeting scene- targeted- Context: Reflects USA viewpoints that gender is not equal and woman are inferior.  

Gender issues in The Killing

- Forbrydelsen questions many traditional female characteristics with its lead Sarah Lund. Society has changed and there is no longer the demand or desire for depictions of domesticated woman.

- There is more desire for career driven woman who struggles with the traditional demands expected of them. Characteristics, like Lund, become more layered and complex and they resist any attempts to shoe-box their roles. 

- Forbrydelsen challenges traditional gender roles by depicting the parenting skills of a woman driven by her professional code. Sarah Lund is motivated by a juxtaposition of male and female traits. 

Van Zoonen: Feminist theory

- Gender roles change based on performance

- Historical and cultural context

- In media representations, female are 'objectified' 

Sarah is not objectified but Carrie is. 

Gauntlett: Identity

- Different messages about identity in the media- varied more than the past. Pick from our identity. 

Sarah- carrier, focused, not just a mother, she picks and chooses between carrier and being a mum.

Tuesday 21st March 2021

The Killing Context (Absent)

LO: To explore the social issues represented, specifically gender.

Tuesday 28th March 2023

The Killing Analysis

LO: To analyse a variety of scenes using accurate terminology.

Sarah meets Jan Meyer

How is Sarah represented at the start of the scene? What is she doing?

Sarah - hectic, packing, upbeat

- Professional when Meyer but they chat about her move

- Close up over the shoulder shot of her son.

- Same shot edited to Meryer's gun picture- they have opposite gender roles, Sarah focuses on family which is stereotypical of a woman, whilst the gun picture is stereotypically male and violent. 

When we meet Jan - how is he represented? How are gender roles represented in this scene?

- Toy car + = childish

- Diegetic sound - radio,  lack of respect

Structuralism: Levi-Strauss

Structuralism is the study of the hidden rules that govern a structure.

Strauss thought that the human mind could be investigated by studying the fundamental structure underlying myths and fables from around the world which he then developed the idea of 'binary oppositions'.

Many writers have analysed media products using the idea of the binary opposition, but seeing the overall system as 'ideology rather than 'human consciousness'. 

The Killing Applications

Selfishness v Duty; Violence v Nurturing; Racism v Inclusivity

Diegetic Sound - Dialogue

- At the start Sarah and Meyer speak about Sarah moving to Sweden and he was undermining her, winding her up. She shuts him down on his career talk by directing the conversation back to the investigation.

- At the end Meyer wants to contact Theis and ask him about investigation, but her professionalism remains through her dialogue and then agrees to investigation after Meyer's teasing.

- Sarah is in control and respectful and asks questions politely, unlike Meyer who asks them aggressively. She is stood there, calmly asking questions and controlling the scene. 

Semiology: Barthes

Semiology is the study of signs. Signs consist of a signifier (a word, an image, a sound, and so on) and its meaning - the signified. 

- The Killing Barthes - non-diegetic sound - professionalism highlights her thought process and focus on the investigation. 

 How are they represented as a family?

- Loving, family - friendly, fun

- Close up of Theis/ Pernielle - end close to each others face

- ND  sound emphasis the upbeat nature in the dishwasher flood

How are economic issues represented in the scene?

- Economic - tight , Duct tape - can't afford

- new or repairs - context reflect poor

- Mise en scene - props - water

How does Theis fit gender stereotypes?

- Masculine - fixes it/ tries to fix it. gender stereotypes

- Mise en scene - costume

How is their hime represented? Mise en scene?

- Close up family picture - importance of family - happy. 

Comparison to Homeland 

No children's drawings on the walls or fridge - lack of care and love and family. 

Bell Hooks - Pernille

- Intersexuality = gender, class, race, sexuality

Pernille - female, working class

Sarah and Carrie - independent, not their own boss but work for men but are middle class, not a house wife

Tuesday 25th April 2023

The Killing Analysis (Absent)

LO: To analyse a variety of scenes using accurate terminology.

Tuesday 9th May 2023

The Killing Analysis

LO: To analyse key areas of the set products.

Ideology - A system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

Viewpoints - A person's opinion or point of view.

Starter

Explain how these three narratives develop and merge over episode 1.

Sarah Lund is a Detective in a police department from Denmark who is getting ready to move to Sweden with her son as to join her boyfriend. As she is getting ready to leave she takes on a case to do with a missing girl, after investigating she discovers an item belonging to Theis Birk Larsen. This leads to her visiting Theis along with his wife Pernille, this is where their narratives merge and where Sarah doscover the Birk Laesen family is the stereotypical loving family

Troells

Equilibrium - politician running a campaign, widower.

Disruption - mole in the party

Recognition - Mayor's actions, reporting on him.

Resolution/New Equilibrium - not reached

Narratology: Todorov

Todorov studies the narrative and the structure of the narrative and how it can be broken down into sections and how exactly they fit together.

Patriarchy: The Killing
The idea of patriarchy is seen in the killing in the scene with a close up on the campaign posters for the mayoral candidates, we can see that the candidates are all men including the current mayor. This creates an ideology that men rule over society reinforcing patriarchal values.

Individualism: The Killing:

The way Sarah brushes off Mayer whenever he presents Sarah with an idea to do with the investigation shows individualism in the killing, we also see that she comes up with her own ideas/solutions to solve the investigation. We see this specifically in the scene where Sarah and mayer are standing in the middle of a field, we are given a close up shot of Sarah with Mayer looking over her shoulder and almost feeding her ideas on how to go about his investigation but she ignores him and walks off the screen. We later see that this is the right thing to do and that she was right to do her own thing which therefore shows individualism in The Killing. 

Consumerism: The Killing

Theis goes home to help with the dishwasher and is insistent on using duct tape and family friends to fix it rather than Pernielle's viewpoint that they should get it fixed properly by a plumber. We later find out through an establishing shot of a grand house followed by dialogue that Theis saves money in order to buy big house that he does not need. The grandness of the house supports the consumerist ideology.

Also, Troels Hartmann's Campaign Officer likes his new shoes and within dialogue describes at length the individual features of the shoes.

Ethnocentrism: The killing

Vagn-Vagn makes a racist comment to a man from Pakistan, treating him as inferior.

Police Department- The Danish police department jokingly refer to Sweden as below them, they joke about their inferiority and how much of a downgrade it is going to be for Sarah to move there during her leaving party scene. They make fun of the Swedish culture such as with the skis and the helmets. They say to her: 'If decomposed herring and light beer are your thing, then you're welcome to it.' As they use the two  insults, it shows their discrimination.

Gilroy: Ethmicity and Post-Colonism

Gilroy believes that a range of representations support a belief in the superiority of white western culture, while criminalising immigrants. 

Sarah Lund

For each of the following points, explain how this is conveyed in episode 1.

1. She doesn't use her sexuality to get what she wants because she has confidence in her intuition and ability. 

2. Her female sexuality is not focused on.

Even though she is a woman it doesn't matter as her opinions and role is respected in her being a  detective, this is shown when they throw a going away party to which shows she is thought of and respected. 

3. She is presented to us as a maternal figure. 

When Sarah and Jan visit Jernille to ask about her daughter Jan asks brash question in a hard manner while Sarah ask more open questions which makes her seen approachable. 

4. As Lund becomes involved in a murder investigation, her professional life takes precedence.