The document discusses various technical aspects of TV dramas, including definitions, conventions, and analysis. It begins by asking the reader to define a TV drama with a partner and then discusses textual analysis and representation through techniques like camera shots, camera angles, editing, sound, and mise-en-scene. It also covers exam structure, key representation areas, genres of TV drama, and macro and micro elements of film language.

1. TV Dramas
• What is a TV Drama?
• Discuss your ideas with a partner and try to
create a shared definition
Connect

2. G322 Media Exam
• Textual Analysis and Representation:
– Camera shots
– Camera Angle
– Movement and Composition
– Editing
– Sound
– Mise-en-Scene
Discover

3. G322 Media Exam
• The purpose of these units is first to assess
candidates’ media textual analysis skills and
their understanding of the concept of
representation using a short unseen moving
image extract
Discover

4. Section A
• An ‘unseen’ moving image extract with one
compulsory question dealing with textual
analysis of various technical aspects of the
languages and conventions of moving image
media. Candidates will be asked to link this
analysis with a discussion of some aspect of
representation within the sequence.
Discover

5. Section A
• An ‘unseen’ moving image extract with one
compulsory question dealing with textual
analysis of various technical aspects of the
languages and conventions of moving image
media. Candidates will be asked to link this
analysis with a discussion of some aspect of
representation within the sequence.
Discover

6. Section A
• The focus of study for Section A is the use of
technical aspects of the moving image
medium to create meaning for an audience,
focussing on the creation of representations
of specific social types, groups, events or
places within the extract.
Discover

7. Section A
TV Drama
• The sequence will be taken from a
contemporary one-off drama or series or
serial drama programme scheduled on British
television stations including some sourced
from other countries.
Discover

8. Exam Structure
Watching the unseen moving image extract
• You will be allowed two minutes to read the question for Section A before the extract is screened.
• The extract will be screened four times.
– First screening: watch the extract; no notes are to be made this time.
– Second screening: watch the extract and make notes. • There will be a brief break for note-making.
– Third and fourth screening: watch the extract and make notes
• There will be a brief break for note-making after the third and fourth screenings.
• Your notes for Section A are to be written in the answer booklet provided and must be handed in at
the end of the examination.
• Rule a diagonal line through your notes afterwards.
Discover

9. 7 KEY AREAS FOR TOPIC
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Class and status
• Physical ability/disability
• Regional identity
Discover

10. TV Dramas
• 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.

11. MACRO and MICRO elements of
film language
• MACRO -
• GENRE
• NARRATIVE
• (REPRESENTATION)
• MICRO –
• CINEMATOGRAPHY
• SOUND
• EDITING
• MISE EN SCENE
• SPECIAL EFFECTS

12. CONVENTIONS OF TV DRAMA
• What are the CONVENTIONS of a TV Drama?
BONUS: Which do you think are the most
important?
Develop

13. Conventions of TV Drama
Same Characters
each week
Conventional
Camerawork Title Sequence
Aiming to represent
reality
Same locations
each week
Appeals to wide
audience
Narrative
based

14. Guess the Sub-Genre....
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWptHq1s
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• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGF1rMy
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• Now list as many TV Drama sub-genres as you
can.....

15. Your Task
Create a new British TV Drama that conforms or
challenges conventions.
Consider...
• Target Audience
• Viewing Time
• Characters
• Locations
• Possible scenarios
• Mise en scene
• Camerawork
• Sounds

16. Why do we watch Television Drama?
• What pleasures do spectators experience through watching TV drama?
Think about your own response to the drama you watch?
Cranford, BBC1 Dr Who, BBC1

17. DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION
Words and images in media texts can work on
more than one level.
You will come across the terms denotation and
connotation throughout your course. They are
important terms for you to understand.

18. DENOTATION is the straight forward or common-
sense meaning of a sign. Literally what is actually
shown in an image.
A red rose is a flower – that is its straight forward
meaning or denotation
An apple is a fruit we eat-
A lamb is a young sheep-

19. CONNOTATION is the extra, linked
meaning that goes with any sign.
The connotations of a sign will be much more
personal than the straight forward denotation
because they are to do with personal ideas and
feelings about it.
The connotations will not be the same for
everybody.

20. Think about the rose…
For romantics a red rose can be a symbol of love.
In Lancashire it is a symbol for the county.
It has even been a symbol for a political party.
These are all connotations or extra layers of meaning that the image carries with it.

21. Think about the apple…
It can be a symbol of health.
It can have associated meanings of New York -“The Big Apple”.
It can even have stand for sin.
These are all connotations or extra layers of meaning that the image carries with it.

22. A two step content analysis of pictures.
1. Denotation. Straightforward reading of
what is in the picture.
2. Connotation. The extra, linked meanings
that go with the picture.
1 :- Sky. Sand. Girl. Boy. Donkey.
2:- Beach. Seaside. Holiday. Family holiday.
Traditional British holiday.
photo courtesy of photolibrary wales www.photolibrarywales.com)

23. Notice how other pictures can have different
denotational suggestions but the same connotational
suggestions.
The connotations for all of
these pictures is the same
as the previous one-
traditional,family holidays.
The bright colours, blue
skies and smiling faces
have connotations of
happiness.
photos courtesy of photolibrary wales www.photolibrarywales.com)

24. Creating Realism
• Why is it important for a TV Drama to create
‘REALISM’?
• How is Realism Created?
Discover

25. How is ‘realism’ created for.
• A hospital drama?
• A police drama?
• A spy drama?
• A costume or historical drama?

26. Realism is like a ‘sandwich’ of three
layers:
First level of
Realism means
selecting the
right….
Actors
Props/objects
Locations
Voices of actors/
noises on set
(diegetic sound)
Second level of
realism means
how the drama is
filmed using….
Lighting
Use of camera
Choice of shot
Music (non-
diegetic sound).
Editing.
Third level of
realism:
The finished
‘product’ on TV.
The actual TV
drama viewed by
the audience.
And…..
Audience opinions
of drama – do they
‘believe’ it?

27. The FIRST level of realism…………..
Actors, Props, Locations,
Costume, Make Up
Question – What do we call these
collectively?

28. MISE EN SCENE
MISE EN SCENE
Lighting & Colour Facial expressions and
body language
Costum e, hair
& m ake-up
positioning of
characters &
objects within
the fram e

29. THE CORE

30. Mise En Scene
• There are 6 Areas of MIS EN SCENE:
• Lighting
• Location
• Props
• Costume
• Make Up & Hair
• Proxemics

31. Verisimilitude
The ‘truth’ of the Scene and its
‘reality’

34. The second level of realism…………..
Camera angle, shot, movement
and composition..
Question – how many types of shot
can you remember?

35. Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
• In the extreme wide shot, the
view is so far from the subject
that she isn't even visible. The
point of this shot is to show the
subject's surroundings.
• The EWS is often used as an
"establishing shot" - the first
shot of a new scene, designed
to show the audience where the
action is taking place.The EWS
is also known as an extra long
shot or extreme long shot
(XLS).

36. Very Wide Shot (VWS)
• The very wide shot is much
closer to the subject than an
extreme wide shot, but still
much further away than a wide
shot.
• The subject is (just) visible here,
but the emphasis is very much
on placing her in her
environment.This often works
as an establishing shot, in which
the audience is shown the
whole setting so they can orient
themselves.

37. Wide Shot (WS)
• Also known as a LONG SHOT.
• As with most shot types, the
wide shot means different things
to different people. However the
wide shot seems to suffer more
from varying interpretations than
other types. Many people take
the WS to mean something
much wider than my example,
i.e. what I would call a very
wide shot.

38. Mid Shot (MS)
• The MS is appropriate when the
subject is speaking without too
much emotion or intense
concentration. It also works well
when the intent is to deliver
information, which is why it is
frequently used by television news
presenters. You will often see a
story begin with a MS of the reporter
(providing information), followed by
closer shots of interview subjects
(providing reactions and
emotion).As well as being a
comfortable, emotionally neutral
shot, the mid shot allows room for
hand gestures and a bit of
movement.

39. Medium Close Up (MCU)
• The medium
closeup is half way
between a mid shot
and a close up.
This shot shows the
face more clearly,
without getting
uncomfortably close.

40. Close Up (CU)
• In the closeup shot, a certain
feature or part of the subject takes
up most of the frame. A close up of
a person usually means a close up
of their face (unless specified
otherwise).Close-ups are obviously
useful for showing detail and can
also be used as a Insert Shot ( or
Cut In). A close-up of a person
emphasizes their emotional state.
Whereas a mid-shot or wide-shot is
more appropriate for delivering facts
and general information, a close-up
exaggerates facial expressions
which convey emotion. The viewer
is drawn into the subject's personal
space and shares their feelings.

41. Extreme Close Up (ECU)
• The ECU gets right in
and shows extreme
detail.You would
normally need a specific
reason to get this close.
It is too close to show
general reactions or
emotion except in very
dramatic scenes.

42. Cutaway (CA)
• A cutaway is a shot that's
usually of something other
than the current action. It
could be a different subject
(eg. this cat when the main
subject is its owner), a close
up of a different part of the
subject (eg. the subject's
hands), or just about
anything else.The cutaway is
used as a "buffer" between
shots (to help the editing
process), or to add
interest/information.

43. Two Shot
• Two-shots are good for
establishing a relationship
between subjects. If you see
two sports presenters standing
side by side facing the camera,
you get the idea that these
people are going to be the
show's co-hosts. As they have
equal prominence in the frame,
the implication is that they will
provide equal input.A two-shot
could also involve movement or
action. It is a good way to follow
the interaction between two
people without getting distracted
by their surroundings.

44. Over the Shoulder Shot
(OSS)
• Looking from behind a
person at the subject, cutting
off the frame just behind the
ear. The person facing the
subject should occupy about
1/3 of the frame.This shot
helps to establish the
positions of each person,
and get the feel of looking at
one person from the other's
point of view. A variation of
this shot can be a bit wider
and include the shoulder of
the person facing the
subject.

45. Point-of-View Shot (POV)
• Shows a view from
the subject's
perspective. This
shot is usually
edited in such a way
that it is obvious
whose POV it is.

46. High Angle
 a high angle shot is
usually when the camera
is located above the
eyeline.
 With this type of angle,
the camera looks down
on the subject and the
point of focus often get
"swallowed up" by the
setting.
 High angle shots also
make the figure or object
seem vulnerable or
powerless

47. Low Angle
• a low angle shot is
usually when the
camera is located
below the eyeline.
• With this type of
angle, the camera
looks up towards
the subject
• Low angle shots
also make the figure
or object seem
powerful

48. Birds Eye View
 The scene is shown from
directly above. This is a
completely different and
somewhat unnatural point
of view which can be used
for dramatic effect or for
showing a different spatial
perspective.
 In drama it can be used to
show the positions and
motions of different
characters and objects,
enabling the viewer to see
things the characters can't.

49. Worms Eye View
• The scene is shown
from directly below.
This is a completely
different and somewhat
unnatural point of view
which can be used for
dramatic effect or for
showing a different
spatial perspective.

50. Slanted
• Also known as a
dutch tilt, this is
where the camera is
purposely tilted to
one side so the
horizon is on an
angle. This creates
an interesting and
dramatic effect.

51. Zoom
• An adjustment to the focal length of the
camera making the it seem that we are
getting closer to the subject
• Zoom

52. Dolly
• The camera is mounted on a trolly which
travels on tracks. This allows for a very
smooth movement and is mainly used for
tracking shots or zooms
• Dolly

53. Pan
• A horizontal movement of the camera,
either left of right
• Pan

54. Tilt
• Pointing the camera up and down (not
moving the camera up and down)
• Tilt

55. Pedestal
• The camera moves up and down but
remains level, making it different to a tilt
• Pedestal

56. Tracking
• Movement that stays a constant distance
from the subject – can be used on a crane
as well
• Tracking

57. Composition
 Composition is how we create the shot we
want in the frame
 There are 5 key rules to composing a great
shot:
• Simplicity
• Rule of Thirds
• Framing
• Leading Lines
• Balance

58. Simplicity
• Don't place your primary subject against a
busy or congested background. Each
scene should have a single story to tell. To
simplify your shot, you may need to alter
the camera position, alter the size of the
image, or select the right background.

59. Rule of Thirds
• Mentally divide your viewfinder into thirds horizontally and vertically.
• Lines of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across)
the frame, rather than at the center.
• In shots of people, the main line of interest is the imaginary line
going through the subject's eyes. So try to place the eyes about 1/3
from the top of the screen.

60. Framing
• Look for natural "frames" within your scene.
• Also, beware of horizontal and vertical lines in the frame (edges of
buildings, counter tops, picture frames, and so forth). Make sure the
horizontal lines are level and the vertical lines are straight up and
down.

61. Leading Lines
• Direct the viewers' eyes with leading lines. Use leading lines to direct them
to focus on the main subject of your shot.
• The direction of the dominant lines in a picture has psychological
connotations.
– Horizontal - serenity and inactivity.
– Vertical - strength and dignity.
– Diagonal - action, imbalance, insecurity.
– Curved - softness or movement.

62. Balance
• There are two main forms of balance:
• Symmetrical balance creates a formal appearance.
• Asymmetrical balance creates a feeling of movement and suggests
a creative and dynamic mood.
• Use the form of balance that is most appropriate for your subject.

63. Cinematography Analysis
• Watch the following sequence and analyse
the cinematography of the scene. Pay
close attention to the shot type, the
camera angle, the camera movement and
what the shot makes us feel

64. How do we Analyse a TV Drama
– Mise-en-Scene
– Camera shots / Camera Angle / Movement and
Composition
– Editing
– Sound
Discover

65. Editing Techniques
• Editing is how individual shots are combined
in sequence to convey certain meanings. The
relationships between shots themselves
convey certain meanings
• Editing also serves to portray lived time in
terms of film-time so that actual events that
would take longer to occur in real time are
truncated or reduced to fit into the film time of
the typical two-hour film

66. Editing Techniques
• Key Terminology:
– Shot Duration – How long each shot lasts
– Continuity Editing - In continuity editing everything is filmed so that
the viewer thinks they are seeing continuous action. You will need to
ensure that characters’ appearance, the set and the lighting (colour
and direction) remain consistent from shot to shot.
– Transitions - Fades and dissolves (or ‘cross-fades’) can add to the
meaning of a sequence.
– Montage - Not all editing is continuity editing. Title sequences often
use ‘montage’, where the combination of contrasting images builds
up meaning.

67. Transitions
• Dissolves can be used to provide a slow, relaxed way of
linking shots - eg in a ‘montage’ of different shots within
an opening sequence. They can also be used in
continuity editing to show that we have moved forward in
time and/or space.
• Fades to black and back are usually used to show that a
more significant period of time has elapsed between two
sequences.
• Wipes and other unusual transitions are best avoided!

68. Editing Techniques
• Match on Action – A technique used in
continuity editing to convey a sense of
continuity between shots
• Match Cut – objects or images on the
screen are matched to another similar
object to show a connection between both
objects

69. Sound
• Although film and television largely effect the audience
because of what they see, sound also has a big impact
on the audience.
• The music used in film is known as the soundtrack.
• It can be broken down into the following categories...

70. The soundtrack of a film is a very complex mix of:
• dialogue recorded on location.
• dialogue recorded after filming, and dubbed in sync with the lip
movement of the actors – virtually all the dialogue on major movies is
post- synched in a dubbing studio to get a very clean high definition
sound.
• sound effects (FX) - these may be recorded on location and added
later or they may be created for a scene such as a gun shot, the sound
of a man being punched, cars crashing etc. Hollywood does these
extra sound FX in a Foley studio.

71. The two key words you need to know when analysing film are written
below.
Copy their definitions:
Diagetic Sound:
Sound or music that is recorded on set as it happens. This will
include dialogue and sounds which take place within the film e.g. a
door closing, gun being fired, police siren.
Non-Diagetic Sound:
Music or sound which is added to the film during the editing process.
Most often, non-diagetic sound is music, which is used to create
atmosphere or emotion.
EXTENSION:
What sort of instrument(s) do you think would be used to create a ‘sad’
atmosphere in film and television?

72. Representation

73. Representation
An image+ a point of view =
representation

74. In exploring representation you need
to establish....
• What view of people or issues is being
conveyed to audiences?
• How far is that view conveyed?
• How far are audiences positioned to take up a
preferred view?
• How far do the representations challenge or
conform to dominant representations and
ideologies?

75. Representation
• Representation refers to the construction
in any medium of aspects of ‘reality’ such
as people, places, objects, events, cultural
identities and other abstract concepts.
Such representations may be in speech or
writing as well as still or moving pictures.
• A key aspect in the study of representation
concern is with the way in which
representations are made to seem
‘natural’.

76. Representation
• Media is all about taking reality (real life) and
re-presenting it to an audience in a different
way. This might be a re-presentation of real
life e.g. BBC news, a manipulation of real life
e.g. The Only Way is Essex or Made in
Chelsea, or a fictional account e.g.
Eastenders or Coronation Street.
• All Media has a base in reality and the way
we see different events or characters can
have a real impact on the way we feel about
a group of people or a major issue.

77. Representation
• Representation plays a major role in our
enjoyment of a Media text. The audience
reads and decodes information in a number
of ways, and this helps them to understand
who a character is or what they might be
feeling.
• The audience is also influenced by what they
see represented on screen
• Look at the following TV characters – how do
they make you feel about them?

81. Stereotypes
• The easiest way for the audience to relate
to a character or characters is to use
Stereotypes
• Stereotypes are when a character is
created using a common set of ideas
about a group of people. These ideas can
be both positive and negative and can
influence the way we view groups of
people

82. Stereotypes
• Whenever we look at a character on screen
we need to work out who they are
representing. The easiest way to do this to
use the letters C.A.G.E. This stands for:
• Class
• Age
• Gender
• Ethnicity