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G322 – TV Drama 15th October 2012
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15th October 2012 Lesson Objectives
Learning Outcomes
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To understand how to describe a TV drama in detail.
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I can understand how to describe a TV drama in detail.
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To know how to incorporate, camera angles, shots, movements, mise-en-scene, editing and audio in to a description of the TV drama.
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I can incorporate camera angles, shots, movements, mise-en-scene, editing and audio when describing a TV drama.
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To develop speaking and listening skills.
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I can use clear and descriptive language and listen intently to other people describing the TV drama.
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Describing TV Drama n
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nb20j/ad/ EastEnders_12_10_2012/
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The clip above is provided by the BBC for visually impaired people.
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This clip demonstrates the detail of which needs to be described visually to your examiner.
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Don’t forget when you describe to your examiner you will not only be describing the action that is taking place but also the camera angles, shots, movements, mise-en-scene, editing and audio. You also need to draw conclusions in relation to the key focus, e.g. gender, class and status etc.
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Main task n
In pairs label your self ‘A’ and ‘B’.
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‘A’ will put on a blindfold while ‘B’ will watch the first 5 minutes of a TV drama and will describe exactly what is taking place.
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The clip will be shown 4 times.
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‘A’ will then write a description of what they think happens in the drama before watching the drama back to see if they are write.
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Discuss results.
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Complete steps again with ‘A’ describing and ‘B’ listening.
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Key Media Representations n
Gender is perhaps the basic category we use for sorting human beings, and it is a key issue when discussing representation. Essential elements of our own identity, and the identities we assume other people to have, come from concepts of gender - what does it mean to be a boy or a girl? Many objects, not just humans, are represented by the media as being particularly masculine or feminine - particularly in advertising - and we grow up with an awareness of what constitutes 'appropriate' characteristics
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Ethnicity Representation of race in the media can consist of the same sort of rigid stereotypes that constitute gender portrayal. However, stereotyping of race is seen as more harmful than stereotyping of gender, as media representation may constitute the only experience of contact with a particular ethnic group that an audience (particularly an audience of children) may have. Racial stereotypes are often based on social myth, perpetuated down the ages. Thus, the media depiction of, say, Native American Indians, might provide a child with their only experience of Native American Indian culture and characters, and may provide that child with a set of narrow prejudices which will not be challenged elsewhere within their experience.
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Key Media Representations n
Age After gender and ethnicity, age is the most obvious category under which we file people, and there are a whole range of instant judgements which go along with that categorisation. Age is the easiest way to categorise someone as "other" than yourself —everyone you meet will be, to some extent, older or younger, a different age than you. And with difference comes... a tendency to stereotype. Harsh stereotypes cut both ways, against both the old and the young.
Social class/status - The social class system is regarded as MERITOCRATIC. i.e. where social position is achieved by merit rather than ASCRIBED by birth. However the social class you are born into can have an impact on life chance and therefore movement into a higher class group is minimised. The upper classes in the UK achieve their position via inherited wealth, thus the majority of citizens could never hope to achieve upper class status. See handout for further terminology related to class. n
Upper Class: Inherited wealth, ascribed status. Owners of the ‘means of production’ e.g. landowners, titled gentry, aristocracy etc.
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Middle Class: Those in skilled non-manual and professional occupations (white collar workers). Middle class may be ascribed or achieved.
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Working Class: Manual occupations, both skilled and unskilled.
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Under Class: Excluded groups, usually due to poverty and lack of employment. Often presented by the media as deviant – addicts/spongers etc.
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Key Media Concepts
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Physical ability/disability: The media representation of the disabled is limited and largely stereotypical. The word "disabled" causes much debate. The 'dis' suffix is a negative one, implying reversal, and disabled in the dictionary heads a list of many negative words - disappoint, discard, discourage, disintegrate, dismay, disrepute etc etc. That same dictionary defines the word "disabled" as meaning "Made ineffective, unfit or incapable". Quite rightly, those members of the population who find themselves labelled thus feel tarred with a distasteful brush. The word implies that they are unfit for anything, that they are incapable of effectiveness in any field. Arewe are reducing a large and diverse group of human beings to something less complicated than your average roadsign.) While great strides have been made in recent decades in the representation of gender and race, there are still many prejudices attached to the representation of disability
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Sexuality: The changes in media representations of sex and sexuality over the last fifty years are astonishing. The media industries are no longer forced to portray husbands and wives occupying separate beds, and scenes of sexual activity are rarely avoided or quietly inferred. Sex in the mass media, especially within the moving image, is becoming increasingly frequent and explicit (About 66% of prime time shows contain some sexual content.), and many advertisers have come to the realisation that “sex sells.” Viewers can observe depictions of intimacy and affection, marriage and family life, and gender roles, as well as suggestive and erotic behaviour, right in their living rooms.
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Key Media Representations. n
Regional identity: regional identity places a huge part in TV programs and Films in order to collect people into categories so that people automatically notice peoples qualities and the way that people live just by showing where they live. This is shown effectively in the television series shameless. Accent, language, appearance, interests, intellect etc are all powerful tools when representing different regional identity's
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Think about how people are described in north and south of England.
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Think about The only way is Essex, Made in Chelsea, Geordie Shaw.
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Home Learning
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Working in the following groups, next theory lesson you will give a presentation to the rest of the class.
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Gender: Louise+Kerry
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Ethnicity: Noor + Noura
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Sexuality: Jefferson + Christine
You will need to use power point presentations, examples and clips from TV programs as well as set an activity to be completed in order to fully explore your media representation and promote discussion.
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Age: Daniel + Rachael
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Social class/ status: Tyana +Sherice
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Physical ability/disability: Hannah+Pia
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Regional identity: Ardit+Shaheb