Deutschland 83: case study blog tasks
Reviews and features
1) Positive aspects:
4) The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83:
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
1) Jonah Sachs claims that there are no divisions anymore, there is no such thing as east or west Germany. While growing up he didn't learn much about the divisions.
2) Channel 4's content challenges the status-quo and provides alternative content, this links to them showing Deutschland 83 because they use the German language and then show us the interviews after that.
3) The current political situation in Germany might interest the Channel 4 News audience because they provide international news, so by talking about German politics with a German person may lure them in.
Behind the scenes clips
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
1) This clip made by channel 4 offers an insight to what you could gain from watching this show. It makes the audience more aware of what is to expect from the programme without giving away any of the story line. It also educates the audience without turning it into a history lesson because the TV show accurately shows German history.
2) History is an important aspect of the appeal of the show because it may attract people that have either lived through the cold war and are experiencing it again in a different way through the TV show or they would be a younger generation who want to know more about what happened.
3) The technical aspects highlighted in this video that are said to be "striking" are the cinematography, production design and costume.
Making Of: Set Design
1) The set design, costume and props were so important for Deutschland 83 because they created an atmosphere for the audience and because the drama is set in 1983 they had to make sure that it was historically accurate.
2) Most of the sets, props and costumes were accurate. However, some parts of them such as the stations were kept a secret in Germany so the art directors had to use their own imagination.
3)The props and the costumes offer the audience a sense of nostalgia - especially for the older viewers - as they would be able to recognise the style/design of the costumes and props used and reflect on the memories associated with them. Also, the overall props etc used helped to add to the realism of the show, making it more believable and entertaining for the audience. It also makes the audience feel like they are learning something about the past.
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer starts of by using Ronald Reagans speech. This is in English so draws in the audience. It is then followed by the use of non-diegetic sound which is effective as it is quite dramatic so lures the audience in. It has few dialogue and the music is fast paced which suggests the genre and type of show it is so immediately intrigues the audience without giving away the plot.
2)Diversion would probably be the main audience pleasure as there are many scenes which include violence, as would be expected in a drama or spy thriller. Nostalgia/personal identity is also another audience pleasure as the music used in the trailer at the end would be something that people remember from the 80s.
3) The trailer uses Barthes action and enigma codes to draw the audience in. It has used many action codes such as fighting, violence and explosion. By watching this the audience feel incomplete and want to know what happens next. They have used enigma codes such, will he make it? etc.
4) Three scenes that capture the spy sub-genre are:
5) The tree examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting that confirm the sub-genre of period drama are:
7) The drama used no subtitles as this may be because audiences can understand it more quicker without reading the subtitles and by having a few words in English allows the audience to feel the fast pace and get a better representation of the show rather than having it in German which would not intrigue the viewers in the UK.
Production and industry context
1) This Freemantle Media press release on the worldwide success of Deutschland 83 describes the drama as "compelling" so will captivate viewers from around the world.
2)The consolidated viewing figure was 2.5 million and the praise was that it is the best known for foreign language drama which has a culmination of German history and the war.
3)The show is subtitles into English for domestic viewers, Walter Presents reviewing and promoting this means that the collection of TV Drama that they recommend will be taken as seriously in both domestic and international languages.
Walter Presents
1) Channel 4 introduces Walter as a very hardworking and respectable man in his field. He claims to have "impeccable taste" and spend time watching series and picking the best ones.
2) The audience that Channel 4 are trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series are a niche audience, who enjoy watching art-house cinema.
3)The 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age because most of the dramas are available on demand and online. They make the audience aware that box sets are available online which intrigues the audiences, especially the young viewers.
Marketing and promotion
1)This seeks to interest the audiences as it provides historical information involving the plot and intrigues that audience as they will want to learn more about the division in Germany. The paragraph is full of narrative strands which lures the audience in.
2)The programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are "stylish, fast-paced and utterly gripping".
3) She used the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama because she gathered research by interviewing several people, such as politicians, farmers and officers which offered a perspective of both sides. She then applied this to the protagonist.
4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music, the soundtrack might attract an audience because it played an important part of the setting and time period. During this time pop music was dominant. So this reinforces the idea of nostalgia.
International marketing
1) The UK DVD cover communicates the sub-genre of the drama because the copy used on the wall, 'Over the wall. Under cover.', suggests some sort of mission or secret job is going to take place which communicates the sub-genre of a spy thriller. In the review used at the bottom of the DVD cover, 'A gripping Cold War thriller', the audience can see that the programme is under the genre of thriller which some historical value to it.
2)The mise-en-scene within this video indicates that the drama is very dramatic. The bright and vibrant colours are significant because it illustrates drama and may relate to a more younger audience. However, the DVD cover predominantly uses de-saturated colour to signify that the drama is dark and events will unfold. It is also faded as it is about the past. The lighting is quite dim. They have a powerful centralised image which indicates that he is the protagonist and the drama will revolve around him. The fact that he is in the middle also implies that he will be stuck in the middle of something??? The contrast of graffiti reflects the values of the East and West and represents them as binaries. They have used props such as old technology to lure the older generation as they will feel a sense of nostalgia.- Walkman's.
3) The American branding uses font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience as they have used a vibrant approach. They have used a san serif font and it's very urban so lures the younger audience in. They have used bright colours to intrigue the audience. The graphics could suggest that the show is war related.
4) The distributors Freemantle Media International might have used different marketing campaigns in different countries because they are appealing to different target audiences which allows them to have more viewers. For example, the UK advert appears as though it is advertising the show to a much older audience as a result of the more muted colour scheme etc. On the other hand, the American poster is a lot more vibrant which may have been done in order to target a mass/mainstream audience to watch the show.
1) Positive aspects:
- The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83- "a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events", "Martin is superbly played by Jonas Nay, a boyish 25-year-old with an interesting scar above his left eye (following a car accident) that renders him a strikingly singular leading man."
- Daily Telegraph review- The review is titled 'gripping', the setting "was extremely well done",
- The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it- "cold war TV drama Deutschland 83, which premiered at last year’s festival, has gone on to become an international success story, with rave reviews, bloggers celebrating its fashion and soundtrack, and impressive viewing figures"
- The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83-
- Daily Telegraph review-"occasionally lack drama but it's rich in period detail"
- The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it-The show lost half its viewers on the last episode in Germany.
4) The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83:
- "The whole series was something of a learning experience for me. I think that's why I loved it so much. Always happy to have my knowledge topped up!"- I AGREE.
- "It was well written and gave a perspective on the DDR that is not commonplace. However, the portrayal of the old east Germany , particularly the Stasi, was not sinister enough and the way the state manipulated the populace into spying on their neighbours" - I AGREE
- "Deutschland 83 was interesting, but there were some aspects that were not credible. Martin Rauch seemed to get access to the top of NATO too easily, and made many mistakes, which I would have thought would have caught him out."- I AGREE
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
1) Jonah Sachs claims that there are no divisions anymore, there is no such thing as east or west Germany. While growing up he didn't learn much about the divisions.
2) Channel 4's content challenges the status-quo and provides alternative content, this links to them showing Deutschland 83 because they use the German language and then show us the interviews after that.
3) The current political situation in Germany might interest the Channel 4 News audience because they provide international news, so by talking about German politics with a German person may lure them in.
Behind the scenes clips
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
1) This clip made by channel 4 offers an insight to what you could gain from watching this show. It makes the audience more aware of what is to expect from the programme without giving away any of the story line. It also educates the audience without turning it into a history lesson because the TV show accurately shows German history.
2) History is an important aspect of the appeal of the show because it may attract people that have either lived through the cold war and are experiencing it again in a different way through the TV show or they would be a younger generation who want to know more about what happened.
3) The technical aspects highlighted in this video that are said to be "striking" are the cinematography, production design and costume.
Making Of: Set Design
1) The set design, costume and props were so important for Deutschland 83 because they created an atmosphere for the audience and because the drama is set in 1983 they had to make sure that it was historically accurate.
2) Most of the sets, props and costumes were accurate. However, some parts of them such as the stations were kept a secret in Germany so the art directors had to use their own imagination.
3)The props and the costumes offer the audience a sense of nostalgia - especially for the older viewers - as they would be able to recognise the style/design of the costumes and props used and reflect on the memories associated with them. Also, the overall props etc used helped to add to the realism of the show, making it more believable and entertaining for the audience. It also makes the audience feel like they are learning something about the past.
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer starts of by using Ronald Reagans speech. This is in English so draws in the audience. It is then followed by the use of non-diegetic sound which is effective as it is quite dramatic so lures the audience in. It has few dialogue and the music is fast paced which suggests the genre and type of show it is so immediately intrigues the audience without giving away the plot.
2)Diversion would probably be the main audience pleasure as there are many scenes which include violence, as would be expected in a drama or spy thriller. Nostalgia/personal identity is also another audience pleasure as the music used in the trailer at the end would be something that people remember from the 80s.
3) The trailer uses Barthes action and enigma codes to draw the audience in. It has used many action codes such as fighting, violence and explosion. By watching this the audience feel incomplete and want to know what happens next. They have used enigma codes such, will he make it? etc.
4) Three scenes that capture the spy sub-genre are:
- When Martin walks with the explosion behind him.
- When a hand grabs Martin from behind while he is occupied.
- When the door opens and there is a lady aiming a gun at him.
5) The tree examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting that confirm the sub-genre of period drama are:
- When he gets beaten up by a women because he is in her room.
- The change of costume when he comes to the West.
- The use of technology, e.g. Walkman.
7) The drama used no subtitles as this may be because audiences can understand it more quicker without reading the subtitles and by having a few words in English allows the audience to feel the fast pace and get a better representation of the show rather than having it in German which would not intrigue the viewers in the UK.
Production and industry context
1) This Freemantle Media press release on the worldwide success of Deutschland 83 describes the drama as "compelling" so will captivate viewers from around the world.
2)The consolidated viewing figure was 2.5 million and the praise was that it is the best known for foreign language drama which has a culmination of German history and the war.
3)The show is subtitles into English for domestic viewers, Walter Presents reviewing and promoting this means that the collection of TV Drama that they recommend will be taken as seriously in both domestic and international languages.
Walter Presents
1) Channel 4 introduces Walter as a very hardworking and respectable man in his field. He claims to have "impeccable taste" and spend time watching series and picking the best ones.
2) The audience that Channel 4 are trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series are a niche audience, who enjoy watching art-house cinema.
3)The 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age because most of the dramas are available on demand and online. They make the audience aware that box sets are available online which intrigues the audiences, especially the young viewers.
Marketing and promotion
1)This seeks to interest the audiences as it provides historical information involving the plot and intrigues that audience as they will want to learn more about the division in Germany. The paragraph is full of narrative strands which lures the audience in.
2)The programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are "stylish, fast-paced and utterly gripping".
3) She used the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama because she gathered research by interviewing several people, such as politicians, farmers and officers which offered a perspective of both sides. She then applied this to the protagonist.
4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music, the soundtrack might attract an audience because it played an important part of the setting and time period. During this time pop music was dominant. So this reinforces the idea of nostalgia.
International marketing
1) The UK DVD cover communicates the sub-genre of the drama because the copy used on the wall, 'Over the wall. Under cover.', suggests some sort of mission or secret job is going to take place which communicates the sub-genre of a spy thriller. In the review used at the bottom of the DVD cover, 'A gripping Cold War thriller', the audience can see that the programme is under the genre of thriller which some historical value to it.
2)The mise-en-scene within this video indicates that the drama is very dramatic. The bright and vibrant colours are significant because it illustrates drama and may relate to a more younger audience. However, the DVD cover predominantly uses de-saturated colour to signify that the drama is dark and events will unfold. It is also faded as it is about the past. The lighting is quite dim. They have a powerful centralised image which indicates that he is the protagonist and the drama will revolve around him. The fact that he is in the middle also implies that he will be stuck in the middle of something??? The contrast of graffiti reflects the values of the East and West and represents them as binaries. They have used props such as old technology to lure the older generation as they will feel a sense of nostalgia.- Walkman's.
3) The American branding uses font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience as they have used a vibrant approach. They have used a san serif font and it's very urban so lures the younger audience in. They have used bright colours to intrigue the audience. The graphics could suggest that the show is war related.
4) The distributors Freemantle Media International might have used different marketing campaigns in different countries because they are appealing to different target audiences which allows them to have more viewers. For example, the UK advert appears as though it is advertising the show to a much older audience as a result of the more muted colour scheme etc. On the other hand, the American poster is a lot more vibrant which may have been done in order to target a mass/mainstream audience to watch the show.
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