Exam outline and contents

Section A

You will be analysing a 5 minute TV Drama extract:

• You will need to carry out a textual analysis of four technical areas:– Camerawork– Mise-en-scene– Editing– Sound.

EXAM

You will need to link this analysis to a discussion of how the clip constructs a REPRESENTATION of one of the following areas:

– Gender– Age– Sexuality– Ethnicity– Class and status– Physical ability/disability– Regional identity

TV Dramas are generally scripted to reflect the life of their intended

audience, and primarily being broadcasted in a series, the audience

tends to grow with the characters and feel like they can relate to the

issues on screen. Content will generally always be realistic and applicable

to real life situations, and you as an audience are led to believe that what

you see on-screen can happen in real life.

DEFINITION

1. Period Drama: Emma, Downton Abbey, The Tudors, Mildred Pierce

2. Police / Crime Drama : The Wire, Luther, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes,

Inspector George Gently, Jerry Bruckheimer’s Chase, CSI, NCIS, 24, New Tricks,

Hustle, Bones, Dexter, Cold Case…

3. Science Fiction: Torchwood, Doctor Who, Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes

(arguably), Primeval

4. Medical Drama : Holby City, Casualty, Scrubs, House, ER, Doc Martin

5. Teen Drama: Skins, OC, 90210, Waterloo Road

6. Melodrama / Soap Opera: Hollyoaks, Eastenders, Coronation Street,

Footballer’s Wives and Hotel Babylon borrow from the conventions of Melodrama

7. Political Drama: West Wing, Spooks (Spy Drama), The Kennedys

8. Comedy Drama: Shameless, Trollied (although arguably a SitCom)

9. Action/Adventure Drama: Lost, 24

10. Fantasy Drama: Merlin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Highlander, Lost, True

Blood

Regional Identity refers to the part of the United Kingdom someone is from. It could refer to a general area such a north or south.

Or country such as “English” or “Scottish” or specific towns such as “London” or “Manchester.”

Regional identity is a sense of belonging similar to that of national identity but on a smaller scale or level.

Research Task• Research into the following stereotypes of regional identity:

– Northerners - Irish/Southern and Northern Irish– Southerners– Scottish– Welsh– Scouses– Geordies– Mancs– Brummies

• How are they constructed? Consider the following:– Dialogue/ dialect– Clothing– Location/setting– Props– Costume– Make-up– Class/status

• Choose an image of stereotypical character that epitomises this regional identity

Notice how regional identity is often linked

to social class?