Lesson 1 covering exam details and sub-genres

1. TV Drama

3. What will you be expected to do? ‘Candidates should be prepared to analyse and discuss technical aspects of the language and conventions of the moving image medium, in relation to the unseen moving image extract, as appropriate to the genre and extract specified, in order to discuss the sequence’s representation of individuals, groups, events or places.’

4. Four Key Technical Areas Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition Editing Sound Mise-en-Scène Candidates should be prepared to discuss, in response to the question, how these technical elements create specific representations of individuals, groups, events or places and help to articulate specific messages and values that have social significance.

6. Therefore, it is not expected that each aspect will be covered in the same degree of detail, but as appropriate to the extract provided and to the discussion of representation.

7. The exam itself - 17th May You will have two hours for your exam (1 hour on each question) The 5 minute clip will be shown 4 times You will have half an hour to read the question, watch the extract and make notes

8. Assessment Criteria Familiarise yourself with this Highlight key words Assign yourself an actor to reflect the marks you hope to achieve

9. How will you be assessed? TOTAL OF 50 MARKS 20 Marks: Analysis of argument 20 Marks: Use of examples from the clip 10 Marks: Use of terminology

10. 1. What is TV Drama? 2. With the person next to you, brainstorm TV Drama’s that you know – share 3. Group these together and give labels 4. How have you decided to group them? Why?

11. TV Drama is… A story that is presented in a dramatic way and explores a range of genres Dramatic programming that is scripted and normally fictional

12. TV Drama Sub-genres A ‘sub-genre’ is where genres are subdivided into even more specific categories. TV Drama sub-genres include: Teen Dramas: These depend entirely on the target audience empathising with a range of authentic characters and age-specific situations and anxieties, e.g. Skins. Soap Operas: These never end, convey a sense of real time and depend entirely on audiences accepting them as ’socially realist’, e.g. Coronation Street. Costume Dramas: these are often intertexually linked to ‘classic’ novels or plays and offer a set of pleasers that are very different to dramas set in our own world contexts and times, e.g. Sharpe. Medical/Hospital Dramas: These interplay our vicarious pleasure at witnessing trauma and suffering on the part of patients and relatives with a set of staff narratives that deploy sop opera conventions, e.g. Holby City. Police/Crime Dramas: These work in the same way as medical/hospital dramas but we can substitute the health context for representation of criminals and victims, e.g. The Bill. Docu-dramas: these are set apart from the other by their attempts to dramatise significant real events, which usually have human interest, celebrity focus or political significance, e.g. Heroes and Villains

13. 7 groups of representation Class Sexuality Disability Regional identity Age Ethnicity Gender

14. Representation What is meant by the term representation? Complete the handout

16. Save in the shared area once complete, ready to share with the group. Link these representations to TV Dramas that you have seen

18. What are the four technical areas you will be asked to analyse? How many marks are given in the exam for the correct use of terminology?