Scripted reality shows feature real people living their daily lives, but some scenes and situations are staged for viewers. Examples include The Only Way is Essex and Keeping Up with the Kardashians. While meant to depict reality, these shows artificially construct dramatic storylines and rivalries through planned scenarios to increase audience interest and engagement. Common conventions include gossip, love triangles, and fights that viewers can relate to.

1. Scripted reality
Scripted reality or structured reality as it is also known, is a television
series that has real people in that are not playing characters, that live real
lives. Cameras and film crews follows the stars of the show around, filming
there day to day lives, however some of the scenes and situations are set up
for the enjoyment of the viewers. Examples of this genre is the only way is
Essex, made in Chelsea, the Osborne's, keeping up with the
kardashians, Geordie shore.

2. History of scripted reality
Reality television began in 1948 with Alan Funt's TV series
Candid Camera. The genre became phenomenon around
1999–2000 with the success of such television series as Big
Brother and Survivor programs. Now in 2012 scripted reality
is much more common and there are many different shows
being made such as ‘The only way is Essex’ and ‘Made in
Chelsea’. Yet it is common in this day and age that reality is
more scripted than real, and the stars are more likely to be put
in artificial situations. The Osborne's and the kardashians are
they orignal scripted reality shows. This genre started off in
America and has become worldwide.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iCpl_zDx
yw

3. Conventions of stereotypical
scripted reality storylines
Fights Drama
Bitch
Group fights Objects of
rivalries desire
Love humour
friendships
triangles
Love rat
Fake boobs
and glamour
features Gossip

4. Cathartic storylines
Storylines that viewers can relate to that happen in everyday life
These story lines are all very realistic to people lives, especially young people who
are the target audiences. However because the only way is Essex and made in
chelsea are very popular amongst younger people, older people start to become
intrigued in the shows are they become a nations talking point. Scripted reality
shows as usually aimed at girls rather than boys as the shows are more about
vanity wealth and gossip which is not stereotypically interesting for boys.
These storylines things that happen in many people lives everyday, however the
storylines are very dramatic, also meaning that the audience becomes hooked as
the shows are left on cliff hangers. This means that the audiences engage more in
the show and meaning they look forward to watching the show which also creates a
bigger audience and people then start to talk about the show. Storylinea re
sometimes humourised to make the show seem funnier making it seem less real.

5. • This example shows a storyline of a typical
badboy in the show. This example also
shows an argument in the scene.
• This scene would of been set up however it
may not have been scripted.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnFW
FFemtRE

6. Conventions of the scripted reality
Set up scenes to
Lighting make the lives
around the face seem interesting
to illuminate
beauty.
and to make a
situation
Empty tables
around to Makes the
make sure all locations seem
focus is on the posh and
characters. exclusive
Show emphasises
objects of desire
making the Trailers like a
audience want fantasy so
what the stars have demonstrate
the glamour of
their lives

7. When filming a scripted reality TV show, the main stars of the show aim to
go about their daily lives, with added dramas and problems of every day
lives. However circumstances are set up to make their lives seem more
interesting, making the audience want to know what's going on in the
lives on the stars. Typically the stars of scripted reality TV have a
regional stigma attached to them. For example the only way is Essex
has a regional stigma attached of people from Essex being ‘typically’
stupid, wearing lots of fake tan, big hair, tacky glamour, strong Essex
accent. However the stars of Made in Chelsea are perceived as a more
classier, intelligent group of people as well as being more wealthier
than the stars of the only way is essex.
Tacky jewellery
No obvious More
fakeness natural
look
Big hair
Fake tan Meant to be
more
Fake boobs intelligent

8. Stereotypes of scripted reality stars
• One of the main stereotypes of a Scripted reality character is the
accent from where the show is located, one of the main features of
most scripted reality shows include where about the show is set. The
accent and status and class defies what kind of area the stars are
from. For example in Made in Chelsea; the fact that it is set in
Chelsea means that already the audience will understand that the
stars will be from very rich families and will be very wealthy.
Orange/fake tan
Looks more
intelligent Tacky suit
wealthier Styled hair
classier Smug

9. Media languages in scripted reality shows
• Lighting- is a key part of scripted reality to set the mood. If there
was a sad scene shot on the program there would be low key lighting
on the other hand there would be high key lighting if the scene being
shot was happy. Using ‘TOWIE’ as another example of use of
lighting, the starts on the show are mainly shot with high key lighting
to make their appearance seem more attractive.
• Sound- diegetic and non-diegetic sound is constantly used in
scripted reality. Either being the non- diegetic opening tune which
relates the audience to that particular show or the diegetic sound of
the stars as they don’t have a script just a role to play. Using ‘Made in
Chelsea’ as an example the non- diegetic sound used is to open the
show and used within the show which is normally on-trend music to
set the mood and used in-between or over scenes. Diegetic sound is
the actors speaking, and on made in Chelsea this is in a strong, posh
Chelsea accent. This shows the stars class and links with this posh
and wealthy stereotype.

10. Close up shots are used frequently in TOWIE. In this scene there is about
to be a fight and it has jump cuts to each star to build tension.
The shots get closer and closer to show the fight is escalating, to add on to the tension
of the scene and show that something is about to happen and add to the drama.
Then the scene quickly cuts to an
establishing shot of the drink being
thrown to show the fight has come to a
end.