approaches to tv drama

Approaches to TV Drama G322

• Summer entry • Coursework unit selected to provide foundation to

exam skills • Opening of film • Develop practical skills- prelim task 360 degree rule,

match on action, shot reverse shot • Use of blogging • Main Task- Creating own sound track • Evaluation- textual analysis of own work

My Approach TV Drama

Don’t spend lots of time exploring the genre

Do spend time looking at each technical aspect in detail particularly editing and sound.

Do look a wide range of TV Drama, US can be a rich area of study.

Do use practical activities to explore micro aspects as can consolidate learning more effectively than written analysis alone.

My Approach TV Drama

Activities to explore TV Drama

Cinematography

Still Image Analysis

Continue the next three shots of the scene………


Editing

Re-create Task Pace of Editing


Blogging

My students enjoy having their own blogs where they can embed clips and type their analysis underneath.

Alternatively you can use http://www.mediaconverter.org/ to download from YouTube and can remove the sound from the clips and record a DVD commentary over the clip analysing the use of shot types, composition and camera movement.


Sound

Dialect, tone and language can represent a great deal about how characters are represented. A quick activity can be extracting some lines of dialogue from a some scenes of the following characters and playing the audio alone:

Posh Kenneth (Skins)

Miles (This Life)

Frank Gallagher (Shameless)

Select a relevant scene and remove the soundtrack

Using garageband get students to create appropriate music to represent the characters

The Wire Students enjoy and can engage with

Can explore representations of

Social Class

Sexuality

Gender

Ethnicity

Age

Provides alternatives to stereotypes

Interesting technical elements-sound/editing

Jan Session

Editing Weakest area of analysis. Some candidates making no reference at all.

Stronger responses discussed the use 180-degree rule and continuity editing. These candidates also referred to eyeline matches, shot reverse shot, simultaneous action and use of ellipsis. Also some discussed the pace of editing to represent age

Sound Was tackled well by some but too much focus on dialogue.

Clear distinction between diegetic and non-diegetic sound by some candidates.

Need to address use of music in more detail-tempo, pace, sound bridges and link specifically to representation.

Mise-en-scene Often very well discussed but at times too much focus on this area. Some entirely focused on mise-en-scene

Concentration on clothing and props but little exploration of lighting.

Must link to how it constructs representation.

Cinematography Well handled by most with the most confident use of terminology in this area.

Problems for some in just identifying camera shots/angle/position and not linking this to the construction of representation.

Marking Criteria

Frequent and Accurate use of media terminology

Consistent evidence from the extract offered. Offers frequent relevant examples from the extract

Clear analysis of how the technical aspects are used to construct the particular representation Understanding of the constructed nature of representation

10

Terminology

20

20

Use of Examples

Analysis/Explanation

Weak Responses

Described the action rather than analyse Focus primarily on one area and neglect others Stray from the relevance question- discuss gender/social class etc Were concerned with TV Drama as genre rather than focus on representation Use terminology rarely or inaccurately Write a short response

Strong Responses

Use note taking effectively and were well practiced in working under timed conditions. Understood the constructed nature of representation and were able to explore this through all four micro elements Used media terminology frequently. Selected the most relevant examples form the extract and analysed how the technical aspects constructed age. Could see the range of representations rather than ‘old’ and ‘young’ Considered weather these representation were conformed to or subverted stereotypes

1. Students must ensure they cover all four technical areas although depending on the extract it may not be relevant to cover each in equal depth.

2. Whilst it must be written in continuous prose students should not waste time with an introduction and conclusion-go straight into analysis

3. Students should look at a wide variety of TV Drama’s but representation and how it is ‘constructed’ through the technical areas must be the primary focus. They do not need to study the genre in depth.

4. Whilst the extract will be a British TV Drama, US TV Dramas can be used a rich area of study and provide some interesting representations that students can engage with.

5. Students should have a lot of practice in note taking and writing under timed conditions

Final Advice

approaches to tv drama

Technology