Coursework: Summer Project 2023

 

Coursework: Summer Project 2023

1) Research: TV crime drama extract analysis 

TV crime drama extract 1: Narrative and genre

Top Boy (Netflix)

How is the narrative and the crime drama genre communicated to the audience?

The shows first opening scene sets the scene for the series by showing montages of London. However they deliberately show the rugged and unclean part of to link to the crime genre and the narrative of drugs, illegal actives and youth. The actors dialogs are mostly slang which also adds to the crime drama genre.

TV crime drama extract 2: Mise-en-scene

Peaky Blinders (BBC)
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.

The costumes communicates a lot in Peaky Blinders as it creates the feeling that the series is set in the 1920s which adds more meaning to the narrative. The lighting used is mostly lowkey and back lighting creating an uneasy feeling and mystery which is an important accept to the series genre. The darkly lit church creates meaning for the audience as it hints at the children aren't being taken care of well. The actors are British therefore is perfect to the narrative and the setting of Birmingham. The city is important to the crime drama narrative as it is the second largest city in England after London. 

This particular scene is set in a church where the protagonist threatens a nun which creates an anxious feeling for the audience.   

TV crime drama extract 3: Camerawork

The Shield (FX)
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to show the reaction of key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?

The close ups of the actors faces creates suspense and mystery of what is happening in the surrounding. The hand held camera and the shaky movement as soon as the weapon comes out builds to the tension with multiple back to back shots of both actors and close ups. 

TV crime drama extract 4: Editing

Top Boy (Channel 4)
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. How is editing used to create meanings for the audience?

There are many montages of London (markets, fish shops, meat shops  which are edited at a fast pace which may highlight how London is a city which never stops and constantly busy.

It also emphasises that London isn't always glamorous and that there is a whole different side of it with graffities and trash. The pace of the editing gradually increases as the shots jump from location the actors building more tension. There are multiple transitions in Top Boy jumping between shots of different locations and people linking them together eventually. The editing in this series creates confusion and a feeling of secrecy which adds to the genre of crime and the narrative.

TV crime drama extract 5: Sound

Luther (BBC)
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound in the extract - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound.

The crime drama starts with non diegetic music playing building tension as the antagonist tries to clean the metal box. The music gradually increases in volumes as the antagonist desperately tries to look for something. When it is found the music drops in volume as he says the dialog "I've got you."  However the music stops instantly when Luther appears where only diegetic sound can be heard.

Only dialog is delivered between the two actors which creates suspense .

There is no background sound as Luther approaches making his medium close up shot a sudden surprise. As the conversation between the two starts to build the antagonist bursts into rage and the dialogue is now screamed.

The music starts to play again however much slower as Lucien gets arrested by Luther foreshadowing the race to catch as ended. 

2) Planning: TV crime drama concept

A Level Media NEA – Brief 1: TV drama extract and TV listings magazine

TV crime drama concept

Our coursework brief requires us to create our own TV drama extract and TV listings magazine for an original crime drama. Plan the following for your video production:

Your new TV drama

Crime drama title: Intuition

Tagline: When everyone is against you, trust your intuition.

Streaming platform (note brief – streaming service, 12+ audience): Netflix, Disney Plus

Other successful TV dramas that are similar to yours: Luther, Breaking bad

Narrative arc – what happens in the overall series: Main character's best friend best murdered and the authorities close the case as it was an accident. However the Main character tries to find out the truth

Main protagonist – their motivation, conflicts etc.: The main character goes through many hurdles as well as suffering with mental health

Other characters, their narrative role and their audience appeal:

• Main character - tries to find out the truth
• Friend - mysterious death
• Detectives - close the case and do not want to further explore
• Antagonist - appears during the last few seconds

More characters are involved through out the series but for my three minute clip in the episode only 5 characters are needed

Target audience for your TV crime drama (note brief – 12+, older youth and adult viewers): Age: 12 and above

Gender: Any gender

Social class: Upper, working, Middle class

Psychographic groups: values, beliefs, lifestyle 

Personality traits, beliefs and life styles

• People who enjoy real crime documentaries and dramas.
• Likes suspense and mystery
• Mental health issues

Your extract

When would your extract appear in the drama (e.g. season 1 opening scene, cliff-hanger scene at end of season finale etc.):

• Season one finale episode before the second season
• After establishing the main characters life style and how important the friend is.

Setting (note brief – at least two locations):

• The detectives office
• Crime scene

What will happen in your extract (note brief – identifiable narrative features, crime genre codes and conventions etc.):

• Flashback
• suspense
• murder
• detective

1. The main character is waiting at the detectives office looking at her prescription tablets for depression.
2. Just then an officer appears telling her that the detective is ready to see her.
3. As she enters and tries to explain to him that her friend was murdered and you were on call with her and this wasn't an accident.
4. The detective tries to brush her off saying the death of her friend was an accident (she got hit my a car) and case is closed.
5. With anger and disbelief she leaves the office and gets into her car and drives off.
6. The car stops where her friend died. Looking at the outline of her friend she stands there, as she closes her eyes.
7. The back ground transitions into a flashback
8. Its dark, the day the friend died and she can see her car drive while she was on call with her
9. Just then a man pulls her car over and asks her for help as his car broke down
10. Just than the main character can imagine her friend getting bashed in the head as she remembered on call.
11. She watches as her friends body gets dragged out the car and left on the ground before running it over
12. She quickly comes back to reality to avoid seeing the car run over her friend
13. Once she's back she receives a text saying "I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING"

3) Statement of Intent

Intuition is about a young girl who is trying to figure out who killed her best friend while everything and everyone is conspiring against her while a string of truth begins to unravel. This will appear in season one of the last episode leaving the story on a cliff hanger intriguing the audience ask questions and eagerly wait for season two. The series will be published on OTT services like Netflix and Disney Plus making it very accessible for everyone. 

In my three-minute segment of the episode, I will cover the minimum of two locations: the police/detectives' office and the crime scene, all of which are crucial to the narrative and communicates the very essence of a crime drama. Intuition effectively demonstrates Roland Barthes narrative codes of both enigma as the three-minute clip concludes on a cliff hanger and prompts questions and has action codes as there is a glimpse of the murder. A range of camera work would be used like: close-ups, 360 degree shots, and hand-held camera shots as it depicts the essence of a crime's mystery and suspense. By adding typical conventions of a crime drama the audience might feel nostalgia therefore grabbing their attention.

My magazine cover will have a central image of the main character taken in a dimly lighted setting. Its will also have darker colour schemes so the protagonist stands out. It will contain two smaller images of other characters and key props that relate to the narrative. The magazine will have convention accepts like: dateline, selling price and the title. However still trying to maintain the simplicity. There would be an interview with the main character exploring their ethnicity and mental health.

Tzvetan Todorov was a critical part of my narrative as having an equilibrium and disruption gives the story a jolt that drives it giving a sense of moment. It builds the equilibrium and disruption of it by beginning with the dilemma in an unconventional way for the most narratives and showing the equilibrium through the flashback. Another theorist I used in my concept was Levi Strauss' binary opposition where there is a transparent imbalance between antagonist and protagonist creating tension between the opposites adapting to the classic convention. 

My crime drama will definitely challenge stereotypes of mental health like depression and anxiety. The assumption that people who suffer from anxiety and depression can't stand up for themselves will be subverted and brings light to how most teenagers suffer without it and usually don't reach out for help. However in Intuition the main character will be open about their mental health and fights the obstacle to find out the truth.

In Van Zoonen's theory she explores how women are typically objectified or presented to reinforce western beauty ideals like: slim, white and young. Taking this into consideration I have decided to make my main character female and Asian weakening the ideology of women being seen as "the hero's possession" as gender representations communication their meanings to audience.  Another theorist I reflected on whilst developing my narrative was David Gauntlett as he talks about how the media and audiences changing over time particularly on identity issues. Audiences beliefs are slowly changing and I want my series to be part of the movement and transformation.

My target audience are people above the age of twelve who fit into the category of upper middle class and working.  Mainly aimed at people who have a passion for crime drama and movies that boosts adrenaline due to its suspense and mystery like Luther and Breaking Bad.

 Through Uses of Gratifications theory I have achieved to use three categories: Diversion - will help the audience escape from their everyday problems by watching the engaging series, Personal relationship - the protagonist deals with many issues in the episode and the audience may feel sympathy therefore developing affection for the character and Personal identification - audiences might see themselves reflected in the main character as she faces many hurdles like depression, not being heard and feeling lonely relating to teenagers.    

  

My Ignite presentation