This document provides an overview of the topics and elements that will be covered in an exam on TV dramas. It discusses various filmic elements like camera shots, angles, movement, composition, editing, sound, and mise-en-scene that students will need to analyze in an unseen exam extract. It also lists common representation topics that may be covered, such as social class, gender, ethnicity, and disability. The exam format will involve close analysis of an unseen 5-7 minute extract based on its filmic techniques and how they create meaning.

1. TV Dramas and the Exam
Lesson Outcomes
To understand what I will be
tested on in the exam

2. Textual Analysis – Filmic
Elements
 Camera Shots, Angles and Composition
 Editing
 Sound
 Mise en Scene

3. Textual Analysis – Filmic
Elements
 Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition
 Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-
shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of
view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of
these.
 Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.
 Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam,
hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.
 Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field –
deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

4. Textual Analysis – Filmic
Elements
 Editing
 Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and
non-continuity systems.
 Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic
match, action match, jump cut (cutting between two
shots of the same subject from slightly different angles)
crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert.
 Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe,
superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion,
ellipsis (cutting shots not necessary to the narrative) and
expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

5. Textual Analysis – Filmic
Elements
 Sound
 Diegetic and non-diegetic sound;
synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound
motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of
address/direct address, sound mixing, sound
perspective.
 Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings,
ambient sound.
 Mise-en-Scène
 Production design: location, studio, set design, costume
and make-up, properties.
 Lighting; colour design

6. Representation
 The focus of this unit will be on the topic of
representation. What does this word mean in
Media Studies?
 Media texts are presentations of people, places,
time etc but they are constructed for a specific a
target audience.
 Seven Key Representation.

7. Exam Question

8. Regional Identity – Summer 2013

9. Age - Winter
2013

10. Physical ability/ Disability
– Summer 2012

11. Sexuality-
Winter 2012
Skins, C4

12. Social Class – Summer 2011
Summer 2014
Shameless C4

13. Gender – has not been done for
a while…….
The Bill, ITV1

14. Ethnicity –
has not
been done
for a
while….
The Bill, ITV1

15. Exam Format
 You will be shown an ‘unseen’ extract from a TV Drama
 The extract will be about five - seven mins long. You
will be shown it four times.
 You will be expected to ‘close read’ the extract - break
it down according to: the use of camera shots, angles,
movement and composition; Mise-en-Scene; Editing and
Sound and link these filmic elements how meaning is
created for the audience.
 The Question will be worth 50 marks

16. A Definition:
How would you define Television Drama
 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.

17. What TV Dramas do we know
 Write down the names of as many TV Dramas
that you can think of.
 Share your list with your partner.
 Look at the list provided – which of these have
you seen, which ones do you think should be
added to the list?
 Can you group them according to genre?
 Working with another group come up with
your Top Ten (you will share them with the
class)

18. What do TV Dramas have in
common
 Think about your Top Ten list.
 What do they have in common – think
about characters, narratives, sets and
settings, camerawork, use of dialogue,
sound and music.
 Come up with ten ‘rules’ that TV Dramas
have to stick to.

19. Do these TV Dramas follow the
rules?
Doctor Who
The Bleak House
Spooks
Clips are included on
the blog below this ppt
Do you need to modify
your rules?

20.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30EG9
TjP88c Spooks
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs0qp
ASAtCA Dr Who