TV: The rise of foreign-language television
1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?
The article suggests that when watching foreign language TV, traditional audiences will be solely reading the subtitles, rather than actually watching what is happening on screen.
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
The key appeal is that all of the episodes are available to view at once, meaning that audiences can binge watch the box sets at a time, allowing them to be immersed in another story line and location at a time.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
The article suggests that the audience is perhaps not capable enough to cope with reading subtitles as well as watching a full epiosde in that method of reading and actively taking in whats going on.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
The other audience pleasures suggested are that the audience can almost travel to the country that the TV Drama is based on, because of how they are so colloquial, without leaving their homes, allowing for an entirely new viewing experience
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
There are behind the scenes clips with different people behind the TV show, in terms of production, which allows for the audience to see more than just the episode, but also how it was made.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
The article tells us that Deutschland '83 was scheduled to release in JUne 2015, on american TV Network AMC.
2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?
First episode - 3.19 million
Last episode - 1.63 million
Channel 4 - 2.13 million
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
Sundance TV and FremantleMedia announced in that there will be a second season of Deutschland 83 and will be called Deutschland 86.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
The article suggests that the record breaking viewing figures in the US and the UK is what gave it the strength to be renewed for a second season.
5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
He put up a new "Weekend Pick" for people on his facebook and twitter account so that people have a new show to watch. He suggests that this had made these dramas more readily available.
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
TV tends to feel culturally specific, tailored to domestic tastes. It also states that foreign language films are more of an arthouse genre.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
"The original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an "Open wound in Israeli society," but that for the U.S the emphasis was on the agent investigating the returned soldier, on a more American issues of distrusting the government and of a fears of agents among us."
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I think Deutschland 83 was able to disregard the cultural differences because of the idea of the main character being so oblivious to life on the other side of Berlin. This creates cinematography and editing which makes the audience feel as if they too are coming to West Germany for the first time.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
That people pay attention to it more as with english TV dramas the mass audience will understand the language, and therefore not need them overall, but because it is a foreign language they can't have their attention averted, or they will risk missing something.
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
The appeal is in learning about other peoples cultures as well as how people from there behave, compared to the country that the viewer is in.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The traditional lengths are: 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 60 minutes, including advert breaks. These timings are used to utilize an easy to follow grid of times as to when shows start, making the start times easier to remember.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
Amazon is working on 'choose your own adventure' shows and it is an example how technology is changing storytelling.
Netflix makes it so that all of the shows of a box set/series is available and include recaps so that people can remember what had happened in a previous episode.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
This is so that people are more likley to return to the next installment next weel, or whenever, to help increase the appeal and demand to see the next episode, further increasing the usage of that service.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
TV dramas are usually shot in blocks, in order to reduce costs of actors and crew, meaning that whilst one block is being filmed, the next block is being prepared, allowing for less time to be wasted and more money to be saved.
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
This allows live discussions and criticisms, a downside of this is that if people search for a specific term they get an isolated opinion, rather than the truth of the masses.
The article suggests that when watching foreign language TV, traditional audiences will be solely reading the subtitles, rather than actually watching what is happening on screen.
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
The key appeal is that all of the episodes are available to view at once, meaning that audiences can binge watch the box sets at a time, allowing them to be immersed in another story line and location at a time.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
The article suggests that the audience is perhaps not capable enough to cope with reading subtitles as well as watching a full epiosde in that method of reading and actively taking in whats going on.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
The other audience pleasures suggested are that the audience can almost travel to the country that the TV Drama is based on, because of how they are so colloquial, without leaving their homes, allowing for an entirely new viewing experience
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
There are behind the scenes clips with different people behind the TV show, in terms of production, which allows for the audience to see more than just the episode, but also how it was made.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
The article tells us that Deutschland '83 was scheduled to release in JUne 2015, on american TV Network AMC.
2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?
First episode - 3.19 million
Last episode - 1.63 million
Channel 4 - 2.13 million
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
Sundance TV and FremantleMedia announced in that there will be a second season of Deutschland 83 and will be called Deutschland 86.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
The article suggests that the record breaking viewing figures in the US and the UK is what gave it the strength to be renewed for a second season.
5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
He put up a new "Weekend Pick" for people on his facebook and twitter account so that people have a new show to watch. He suggests that this had made these dramas more readily available.
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
TV tends to feel culturally specific, tailored to domestic tastes. It also states that foreign language films are more of an arthouse genre.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
"The original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an "Open wound in Israeli society," but that for the U.S the emphasis was on the agent investigating the returned soldier, on a more American issues of distrusting the government and of a fears of agents among us."
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I think Deutschland 83 was able to disregard the cultural differences because of the idea of the main character being so oblivious to life on the other side of Berlin. This creates cinematography and editing which makes the audience feel as if they too are coming to West Germany for the first time.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
That people pay attention to it more as with english TV dramas the mass audience will understand the language, and therefore not need them overall, but because it is a foreign language they can't have their attention averted, or they will risk missing something.
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
The appeal is in learning about other peoples cultures as well as how people from there behave, compared to the country that the viewer is in.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The traditional lengths are: 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 60 minutes, including advert breaks. These timings are used to utilize an easy to follow grid of times as to when shows start, making the start times easier to remember.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
Amazon is working on 'choose your own adventure' shows and it is an example how technology is changing storytelling.
Netflix makes it so that all of the shows of a box set/series is available and include recaps so that people can remember what had happened in a previous episode.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
This is so that people are more likley to return to the next installment next weel, or whenever, to help increase the appeal and demand to see the next episode, further increasing the usage of that service.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
TV dramas are usually shot in blocks, in order to reduce costs of actors and crew, meaning that whilst one block is being filmed, the next block is being prepared, allowing for less time to be wasted and more money to be saved.
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
This allows live discussions and criticisms, a downside of this is that if people search for a specific term they get an isolated opinion, rather than the truth of the masses.
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