TV Drama

A Definition: A story that is presented in a dramatic way

and explores a range of genres, from soap opera to science-fiction to costume drama.

A piece of film that engages with the issues of the day in an accessible fashion, i.e. through believable characters, through fantastic locations or plots.

Why do we watch Television Drama?

Think about your own response to the drama you watch.

Cranford, BBC1

Dr Who, BBC1

Dr Who, BBC1

In pairs, discuss the above question and come up with two possible reasons.

Why do we study Television Drama?

What can we learn about society as a whole, and ourselves, from studying representation in TV drama?

Construction and

Representation

Sexuality

Skins, C4

Gender

The Bill, ITV1

Ethnicity

The Bill, ITV1

Social ClassShameless C4

Representation

Representation – How groups, individuals, institutions, places or social changes are portrayed in the media; how they are re - presented.

The way someone or something is represented is not reality.

It is a version of reality.

Representations are subjective rather than objective and are constructed.

Representation

RealityThe real world

MediationThe process of

producing a media text.

RepresentationThe text itself.

A ‘representation’

of the real world.

If you could create your ideal man/woman, what would he she be like?

Discuss this with the people sitting next to you.

Not all men/women look or present themselves like this. The producers believed these would be popular/sellable images of men/women so chose these representations over other possible ones.

Representation

Key points to consider in terms of representation

What is being represented? How is it being represented? Who is responsible for the representation? How can the representation be interpreted?

A Reflection of Reality?

Remember: always from a particular point

of view with a particular motivation

behind it.

A Marketable Product

Influence on Society?

Skins, C4

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-449819/What-REALLY-happened-Myspace-party-hell.html

Analysis

Mise-en-scene

Camerawork

Editing

Sound

Key Skill Requirement

Become an expert on how short drama sequences employ a variety of technical and symbolic elements at a micro level to create representations at the macro level

Characters

Narrative

Genre