Representations of social, cultural and historical events can vary within long form television dramas from different countries. Discuss how and why audiences might respond to and interpret these representations differently.
In your answer you must:
- Consider the contexts in which long form television dramas are produced and consumed
- Explain how media contexts may have influenced different aspects of realism and audience response in the set episodes of the two long form television dramas you have studied
- Make judgements and reach conclusions about the differences in realism of social, cultural and historical circumstances between the two set episodes.
In Deutschland 83 and Stranger Things representations of social, cultural and historical events vary depending on the industry and the audience they are distributing to. These representations are gender and military/ government and helps to show the differences between long form television dramas and allows the audience to interpret these representations differently.
ST is a Netflix original that was released in July 2016 on the platform worldwide in over 190 countries simultaneously with subtitles for other countries. The episodes were released all at once to allow for binge watching with a budget of $6 million per episode. The show was created by the Duffer Brothers and the show used a main poster for advertising and released a trailer which helped to tease the audience and create a buzz about the show. For ST being a Netflix original and being released only on the platform it allowed ST to being advertised to a much larger demographic. This is an advantage for any LFTVD as it stops the show being shown all over the web and allows for more internet traffic to Netflix as the show is a key aspect in advertising Netflix's model. These industry strategies help to explain how the contexts in which LFTVD are produced and consumed. As Livingstone theory shows, Tv is regulated by OFCOM but Netflix is controlled by a company in Holland so they don't abide by UK rules. Parents regulate kids and what they see. Therefore, it makes it a lot harder to regulate.
For D83 the show was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and was released in October 2015 in the USA as it didn't succeed in Germany due to its cultural relevance of the Cold War and the division in Germany. The show became a real success in USA due to the clever advertising by Sundance Tv who focused on the Spy aspect which helped to expand the overall target market for D83's advertising. D83 was then released in January 2016 on Channel 4 in the UK with the help of the distributor Walter Presents. This was a major factor in how media contexts are produced and consumed because of the subtitles that are used on the episode. By using the older fashioned production process it allows for D83 to really be able to connect with their fans which helps influence different aspects of realism and how they audience will respond to this new romantic spy genre. The show was also the highest rated subtitled drama in the UK.
Overall for both LFTVD's the budget play a massive role of the level of production capabilities that allow ST and D83 to create effects which will enhance the filming and production of the show. With ST having a budget of $6 million per episode it allowed for the producers to create the special powers that Eleven possess along with being able to create the special effects for the demogorgon and action sequences. The producers have used props that reference the 80's to create nostalgia for the older audience. This then relates back to the question that this how they are appealing to the audience of the show and how they produce and how the audience consumes the new cinematography used on the show. In D83 they were able to have large production companies but in order to create the 80's theme they brought in help from people that were around during the Berlin Wall. They got NATO to help in sharing military tactics to help improve in creating the army aspect but also the industry spent a lot of the budget in creating the 80's nostalgia which is similar to ST. This allows for the industry to create links with the audience.
ST is a story about 4 young boys who are very nerdy and are shut out by society. They end up on a crazy Sci-Fi adventure when was one the boys mysteriously disappears. The boys are then left trying to understand the supernatural and it all links back to dungeons and dragons which is a reference to the 80's culture. It's typical of a LFTVD as it follows the theory that Todorov has which is that every drama has a specific story it follows that will consist of sudden changes or things that hinder the overall outcome. This however, refers to the boys living a normal life and the supernatural is the antagonist that ruins the happy equilibrium. This idea links to the way that audiences are influenced and consume the tv drama.
But in D83 the narrative has a more different ideology. This is the fact that in D83 the story focuses on an East German socialist ideology, seen as aspirational through the character of Martin Rauch but then reverts to stereotype e.g. harsh eastern block representations. D83 focuses on the cold war and is a culturally relevant German export. The audience experiences what life is like on both sides of the wall with the audience assuming that because in history east was seen as bad and west good, the narrative changes the audiences outlook and perspectives on the cold war. As the narrative focuses on east Germany the audience begins to feel that east is good because we see through family relationships that there is real connections and stories whether it's on the east or west. This idea links back to Todorov's narrative theory which overall shows the way in which a narrative has significance to the audience and their relationship with the drama.
In D83 gender is represented as key aspect of the show. Van Zoonen's theory of feminism is an ideology that shares the idea that gender in LFTVD's are constructed by cultural and historical context. In D83 females are represented as strong and powerful individuals. This is shown through Lenora and Anna who are strong individuals in a very oppressed life in East Germany. Lenora is a prime example as in those days women were looked down upon. However, Lenora subverts these stereotypes and is the main person in charge of Martin's mission. This shows that rather than a man being in charge she is becoming a leader and unfollowing Van Zoonen's theory of women being objectified.
But in ST it's different apart from a few anomalies. Women in ST such as Mike's mum are objectified for their bodies and personal traits rather than in D83 when they are seen as powerful individuals. But there are some powerful women in ST but they aren't introduced until the end of the episode. The main female is Eleven who with her special powers really develops into a strong character overtime. However, a character like the government agent disrupts the overall equilibrium of the story when she kills Benny and becomes power hungry. This is how D83 creates a conclusion about realism of social, cultural and historical circumstances.
In D83 military representation is a key focus in developing the story. This is due to the fact that the cold war is a key historical context within the show. Hall's reception theory shows that messages and meanings are developed and decoded by the audience. The audience will look at the how the German army is represented and will develop different opinions of whats being represented. This is created by the respect Martin has for working in the eastern army and therefore, as he is the main character the audience believes that the east were the good guys, yet in history this ideology has been proven wrong. Yet in ST the government/military are already seen as the bad guys after the first scene with scientist who end up opening the gate and releasing the supernatural into the regular world. This creates the representation of negativity surrounding the government along with images of torture and psychological effects being inflicted on Eleven. This overall shows how the audience relaxes and develops opinions to contexts.
In conclusion, i have found that audiences react to social and cultural ideologies presented by industries in different ways. Historical facts and figures set out in the two episodes shows how the industries want to connect with the audiences and therefore, leads to them developing an opinion and understanding. But overall i feel that the only way audience develop new meanings is if their views are challenged and are personal. This is shown in both episodes by the 80's nostalgia which helps in developing realism which therefore, attracts audiences and is the key reason why audiences consider watching these shows, due the ideological forms they are distributing.
For D83 the show was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and was released in October 2015 in the USA as it didn't succeed in Germany due to its cultural relevance of the Cold War and the division in Germany. The show became a real success in USA due to the clever advertising by Sundance Tv who focused on the Spy aspect which helped to expand the overall target market for D83's advertising. D83 was then released in January 2016 on Channel 4 in the UK with the help of the distributor Walter Presents. This was a major factor in how media contexts are produced and consumed because of the subtitles that are used on the episode. By using the older fashioned production process it allows for D83 to really be able to connect with their fans which helps influence different aspects of realism and how they audience will respond to this new romantic spy genre. The show was also the highest rated subtitled drama in the UK.
Overall for both LFTVD's the budget play a massive role of the level of production capabilities that allow ST and D83 to create effects which will enhance the filming and production of the show. With ST having a budget of $6 million per episode it allowed for the producers to create the special powers that Eleven possess along with being able to create the special effects for the demogorgon and action sequences. The producers have used props that reference the 80's to create nostalgia for the older audience. This then relates back to the question that this how they are appealing to the audience of the show and how they produce and how the audience consumes the new cinematography used on the show. In D83 they were able to have large production companies but in order to create the 80's theme they brought in help from people that were around during the Berlin Wall. They got NATO to help in sharing military tactics to help improve in creating the army aspect but also the industry spent a lot of the budget in creating the 80's nostalgia which is similar to ST. This allows for the industry to create links with the audience.
ST is a story about 4 young boys who are very nerdy and are shut out by society. They end up on a crazy Sci-Fi adventure when was one the boys mysteriously disappears. The boys are then left trying to understand the supernatural and it all links back to dungeons and dragons which is a reference to the 80's culture. It's typical of a LFTVD as it follows the theory that Todorov has which is that every drama has a specific story it follows that will consist of sudden changes or things that hinder the overall outcome. This however, refers to the boys living a normal life and the supernatural is the antagonist that ruins the happy equilibrium. This idea links to the way that audiences are influenced and consume the tv drama.
But in D83 the narrative has a more different ideology. This is the fact that in D83 the story focuses on an East German socialist ideology, seen as aspirational through the character of Martin Rauch but then reverts to stereotype e.g. harsh eastern block representations. D83 focuses on the cold war and is a culturally relevant German export. The audience experiences what life is like on both sides of the wall with the audience assuming that because in history east was seen as bad and west good, the narrative changes the audiences outlook and perspectives on the cold war. As the narrative focuses on east Germany the audience begins to feel that east is good because we see through family relationships that there is real connections and stories whether it's on the east or west. This idea links back to Todorov's narrative theory which overall shows the way in which a narrative has significance to the audience and their relationship with the drama.
In D83 gender is represented as key aspect of the show. Van Zoonen's theory of feminism is an ideology that shares the idea that gender in LFTVD's are constructed by cultural and historical context. In D83 females are represented as strong and powerful individuals. This is shown through Lenora and Anna who are strong individuals in a very oppressed life in East Germany. Lenora is a prime example as in those days women were looked down upon. However, Lenora subverts these stereotypes and is the main person in charge of Martin's mission. This shows that rather than a man being in charge she is becoming a leader and unfollowing Van Zoonen's theory of women being objectified.
But in ST it's different apart from a few anomalies. Women in ST such as Mike's mum are objectified for their bodies and personal traits rather than in D83 when they are seen as powerful individuals. But there are some powerful women in ST but they aren't introduced until the end of the episode. The main female is Eleven who with her special powers really develops into a strong character overtime. However, a character like the government agent disrupts the overall equilibrium of the story when she kills Benny and becomes power hungry. This is how D83 creates a conclusion about realism of social, cultural and historical circumstances.
In D83 military representation is a key focus in developing the story. This is due to the fact that the cold war is a key historical context within the show. Hall's reception theory shows that messages and meanings are developed and decoded by the audience. The audience will look at the how the German army is represented and will develop different opinions of whats being represented. This is created by the respect Martin has for working in the eastern army and therefore, as he is the main character the audience believes that the east were the good guys, yet in history this ideology has been proven wrong. Yet in ST the government/military are already seen as the bad guys after the first scene with scientist who end up opening the gate and releasing the supernatural into the regular world. This creates the representation of negativity surrounding the government along with images of torture and psychological effects being inflicted on Eleven. This overall shows how the audience relaxes and develops opinions to contexts.
In conclusion, i have found that audiences react to social and cultural ideologies presented by industries in different ways. Historical facts and figures set out in the two episodes shows how the industries want to connect with the audiences and therefore, leads to them developing an opinion and understanding. But overall i feel that the only way audience develop new meanings is if their views are challenged and are personal. This is shown in both episodes by the 80's nostalgia which helps in developing realism which therefore, attracts audiences and is the key reason why audiences consider watching these shows, due the ideological forms they are distributing.
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