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Lesson 6 - TV Comedy audience pleasures
The document contains information about assignments that are due, including coursework, posters, evaluations, and homework. It discusses which students need to submit which assignments and provides instructions for the homework assignment, which involves analyzing two TV comedy programs in terms of their scheduling and how they provide different audience pleasures. The document contains sample questions and criteria that could be used to evaluate the homework.
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Lesson 6 - TV Comedy audience pleasures
- 1. Think of aTV comedy programme you watched recently. What was funny about it? Why?
- 2. Coursework to behanded in today Posters needed from: • Mia • Lloyd • Ollie (one more poster) • Gareth • Harry • Daniel • Jay • Kharis • Drew Poster evaluations needed from everyone other than: • Sam B • Louis • Matthew M • Fraser After School Detentions for work not received – until the work is received. Music Video evaluations needed from: • Dominic • Fin • Adam • Patrick • Gareth • Harry • Daniel • Kharis
- 4. For Homework… because we’ve finishedQuestion 4a 4(a) Pick two TV comedies. Discuss why they were scheduled: On the channels that chose them On the days and times they were transmitted (15 marks) Case study 1: You need to demonstrate clear understanding of your chosen comedy programme. Programme title: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….… Channel(s): ………………………………………………………………… Day:…………………………………………………….…Time……….………… Channel brand/ethos/identity? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… How does the programme fit the institution of channel(s)?…………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Why is the programme scheduled at the allocated time? You should mention primetime or regulatory requirements (e.g. PSB or Commercial Broadcaster) in terms of the watershed and limitations on content…………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… How is your programme scheduled? What programmes are either side of it? Identify scheduling techniques e.g.: blocking, stripping, stacking tentpoling or hammocking. ……………………………………………….………….……………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… How does this time slot attract the target audience for the text, Who are they? Consider Demographics (age), socio-economics (education/employment) and Young and Rubicam (interests/personality)………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Is it a mass or niche audience? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….… Is the text scheduled on mass audience or niche audience channel? Try to explain the nature of those niche audiences. Make reference to viewing figures so use these to illustrate institutional context. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Scheduling history: How many series has it run for? Times and channels for each of these. If these are varied you need to explain why. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Level 4 (12-15 marks) Precise and accurate use of terminology Shows detailed knowledge of TV channels and scheduling with understanding of how programmes reflect institutional contexts Thorough understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences Ideas expressed clearly and fluently in well structured sentences with few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Level 3 (9-11 marks) Some accurate use of terminology Shows sound knowledge of TV channels and scheduling with some understanding of how programmes reflect institutional contexts Sound understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences Ideas expressed with some clarity and fluency; errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar do not obscure meaning. Complete the hand-out (both sides – one for different comedies). You will be expected to research the scheduling and channel info for your chosen comedies. Remember they must be from contrasting channels e.g. BBC1 AND E4 OR Channel 4 AND BBC3 DUE Monday 12th March
- 5. Audience pleasures • ‘Audiencepleasures’ = a term to explain what and why we enjoy TV programmes.
- 6. What pleasures doesan audience get from watching comedy shows There are a range of audience pleasures. Such as: • Familiarity • Character identification • Narrative resolution • Identification with themes • Comedy entertainment • Escapism **Links to the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Dyer’s Utopia Theory** You will refer to these in your exam – alongside examples from your chosen comedies.
- 7. Familiarity • For longrunning series - meeting the same people regularly, we know their personalities and can predict their behaviour – like family and friends. We also enjoy the stereotypical characters and expected locations),
- 8. Character Identification • Identifyingwith characters or situations that occur.
- 9. Narrative Resolution • Thesatisfaction of the story ending and all loose ends tied up. This applies to each episode as well as to the entire series.
- 10. Identification with Themes • Work,family, relationships, getting on in life etc
- 11. Comedy Entertainment • “It’sfunny”. Only to be used as a last resort… if your mind goes blank in the exam.
- 12. Escapism • To escapeour ordinary (often monotonous/ repetitive) lives.
- 13. Uses and GratificationsTheory: • The idea that media audiences make active choices about what to consume in order to meet certain needs. This is about what the audience does with the media product. • We choose what we consume, and how it will affect us.
- 14. BLUMLER AND KATZ’SUSES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORY Uses & Gratifications Information (Surveillance) The media is full of information which we can use Personal Identity We can get a sense of ourselves and our peer group from the media. We may identify with particular ‘characters’, who we see as having similar life experiences Social interaction (Personal relationships) Films, the news or last night's television programmes are common topics of discussion; we use the media to feed this social interaction. We also connect with the chatracters. Entertainment (Diversion) The text provides pleasure for the audience, this is often characterised as being 'escapist'.
- 15. Richard Dyer’s Entertainment andUtopia theory • “Utopia” is an imaginary ideal world • Richard Dyer argues that “entertainment offers the image of ‘something better’ to set against the realities of day-to-day existence.” • This is the idea of “escapism” • Inside the world of a sitcom the fictional world can be “better” than in the reality of day-to-day existence
- 16. Richard Dyer’s Entertainment andUtopia theory Real World Problem • Exhaustion • Dreariness • Boredom • Fragmentation/Loneliness • Scarcity/poverty Entertainment World Utopian Solution • Energy • Intensity • Excitement • Community/companionship • Abundance/wealth
- 17. Schadenfreude Schadenfreude is pleasurederived from the misfortunes of others. (Pronunciation: Sha-den-froi-deh) For example: Have you ever watched You’ve Been Framed and laughed at the clips (even though some of the situations have got to hurt)? Schadenfreude is everywhere (even off the TV screen) – start noticing.
- 18. Question 4b 2014: Discusshow two programmes offer different audience pleasures. Give at least one detail from each programme 2015: Explain how the audience pleasures offered by two comedy programmes are different or similar Give at least one example from each programme 2016: Explain how one comedy programme offers a range of pleasures, not just making the audience laugh. Give detailed examples from the programme
- 19. Instructions • This questionwants you to explain why audiences enjoy watching comedy programs • We are going to have a look at a couple of comedies today to identify the different audience pleasures.
- 20. TV comedies • Audienceswill enjoy TV comedies because they are familiar. TV comedies follow a conventional formula, so the audience chose to watch an episode for entertainment which will last for 24-30 minutes providing them with escapism. They don’t need to have seen the previous episode and they don’t have to watch the next one. In sitcoms this is because the narrative is circular and there is always a return to equilibrium at the end of each episode, creating a narrative resolution. Sitcoms may also feature characters or themes which the audience may be able to feel some identification with.
- 21. Watch • As youwatch, think about the audience pleasures for The Big Bang Theory • Familiarity • Escapism • Character identification • Narrative resolution • Identification ith themes • Comedy entertainment • Uses and gratifications? • Familiarity • Escapism • Character identification • Narrative resolution • Identification with themes • Comedy entertainment • Schadenfreude • Uses and Gratifications
- 22. Discuss with yourpartner… • What audience pleasures could you identify and which examples could you apply it to? • Now list 3 different audience pleasures linked to examples from the clip. Explain how they rely on this pleasure.
- 23. W§atch • As youwatch, think about the audience pleasures for Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow • Familiarity • Escapism • Character identification • Narrative resolution • Identification with themes • Comedy entertainment • Schadenfreude • Uses and Gratifications
- 24. Discuss with yourpartner… • What audience pleasures could you identify and which examples could you apply it to? • Now list 3 different audience pleasures linked to examples from the clip. Explain how they rely on this pleasure.