TV: Deutschland 83 case study

Historical context: The Cold War


The Cold War was a political dispute between the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union – Russia and 14 other states) and the Western Bloc (USA and NATO allies including the UK). It took place from 1947 to 1989.

There was never large-scale fighting between the two sides but on at least two occasions the world came close to a fully-nuclear World War 3.

The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was a symbol of the Cold War, constructed after the Berlin crisis of 1961.

It divided Communist-controlled East Berlin and NATO-supporting West Berlin. East Germans were not allowed to cross the border for a better life in the West – many were shot trying to climb over the wall.

The East German government eventually allowed people to freely cross the border on 9 November 1989.


1983: a critical year in the Cold War

The Cold War almost boiled over into nuclear war in 1983 when a NATO exercise called Able Archer caused some politicians in East Germany and the Soviet Union to believe the USA was planning a nuclear first-strike.


Deutschland 83: case study blog tasks

Reviews and features:

1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?
A positive aspect that is depicted in Deutschland 83 is the scene where Martin is running around in the supermarket, giving links to capitalistic values and nostalgia.The fact that there is a subtle difference that is made between the East and West side of Germany alludes to the differences allowing audiences to get better representations and gives a good portrayal of the historical period.

2) What criticisms are made of the show?
One criticism made of this show is that even though it provides us with nostalgia, there is a lack of drama in the show. Another criticism that can be made of the show is that it reinforces negative stereotypes of some officers who use the system to their advantage.

3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?
Deutschland 83 gives audiences quite an accurate representation of what it was like between the East and West of Germany - the differences between the two are made very clear and is depicted through speech codes used by specific characters like the Stassi baddies and the goodies in West Germany.

4) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?
  • ''The pleasure came from the little details of life on the other side of the Iron Curtain. 1983 isn't so long ago, but Communist East Germany now looks like another planet: the orange curtains, the cheap clothes, the pathetic excitement of teenagers at listening to illicit western pop music, particularly Nena's original German version of 99 Red Balloons.'
  • ''it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially''
  • "by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice".


Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features:

Channel 4 News - Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay

 

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 
He doesn't see himself as a 'west' or 'east' German, he sees himself as simply German. He doesn't acknowledge, or want to acknowledge that there are east or west Germans anymore. 

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)
Channel 4's remit says that they deliver 'alternative content that challenges the status quo'. Deutschland 83 definitely delivers that because it's in a different language and there's not a lot of stuff like that on TV.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
Channel 4 news talk a lot about international affairs, this might interest the audience because they enjoy seeing things from an unbiased point of view and from someone who actually lives in Germany. 

Behind the scenes clips:

Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83

1) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83 - what does the clip offer viewers?
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.

2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
The history of this show 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) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
The producer mentions the cinematography, production design and costume to be "striking". 


Making Of - Set Design:

1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?
It is set in 1983 and in order for the programme to be realistic the setting has to play the part. Accuracy is key because the show includes real events so it needs to look as real as possible. 

2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
A lot of the production design was based off and inspired by real pictures. There was research that went into trying to understand and get an idea of what everything looked like. The cold war wasn't that long ago so it would've been easier to try and picture the 80s because a lot of those people are still alive today.

3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
It has a sense of nostalgia, especially for an older audience. people remember that and those times which make them enjoy the show a lot more. 


Textual analysis - trailer:

 

1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.
It begins with Ronald Reagan's speech and goes straight into very dramatic music, followed by clips of intense moments in the series - the use of a split screen highlights the differences between the East and the West, effectively portraying part of the plot without giving the whole story away. The editing matches the music intensifies the trailer and the scenes shown, making an audience more intrigued and inclined to watch.

2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
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) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
The enigma code is the audience questioning the explosions and fight scenes happening throughout the trailer. The audience want these questions answered so then they feel encouraged to watch the show. The action code of him taking pictures and spying in the film makes the audience feel that the narrative will progress further and it'll get a lot more exciting as the storyline develops. 

4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).
The shots/scenes from the trailer which capture the spy thriller sub-genre are when a hand grabs Martin from the back whilst he was occupied, when he is walking out and a explosion happens behind him and when the door opens and there is lady who aims a gun towards him. These appeals to audiences because the scenes depict similar happenings to be considered under the same sub genre of a spy thriller. This alludes to Neale's theory about genre which claims that “Difference is absolutely essential to the economy of genre” - mere repetition would not attract an audience. This means that as the audience is more intrigued to see different things happening it gives them more of a interest rather than seeing repeated things every time in many shows. Deutschland 83 does this very well as there are different action and enigma codes used throughout. 

5) Pick three examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting the confirm the sub-genre of period drama. Why might this appeal to an audience? 
  1. The scene where he gets beaten up by a women whilst spying in her room.
  2. The change of costume when martin comes to the West.
  3. The use of technology that is not seemed to be used now.

    6) The trailer uses the song 'Two Tribes' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Why did the producers select this soundtrack for the trailer?
    The songs presents the narrative of the two superpower countries that were at war which essentially links to the narrative of the series. This then links back to the idea of nostalgia used in Deutschland 83 for audiences - this song came out in 1984, appealing to an older audience who would relate to and recognise this song.

    7) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
    If an audience knew it was in German it may not interest them as much as if it is in English - if the show is in English it is easier for the audience to follow, therefore keeping them interested. Through the use of just English, the audience are surprised when they actually watch the show because the use of German is quite gripping and is easier to follow than assumed.

    Production and industry context:

    Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around teh world.

    1) Read this Freemantle Media press release on the worldwide success of Deutschland 83. How is the drama described by the distributor? Why was it considered such an international success?
    The CEO describes it as the compelling series that captivated viewers around the world. The show was produced by award winning creators and directors.

    2) Read this Freemantle Media press release on Deutschland 83 becoming Channel 4's highest rated foreign drama. What was the consolidated viewing figure for Episode 1 of Deutschland 83? What praise for Deutschland 83 is included in the press release?
    The consolidated viewing figure was 2.5 million and the praise was that it is best known for a foreign language drama which has a culmination of German history and the war.

    3) How does the press release promote the Channel 4 'Walter Presents' collection of international TV drama?
    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) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
    They introduce him as a man with 'impeccable taste' who spends his time watching series and picks the best ones for channel 4. 

    2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
    An niche audience who enjoy art-house cinema. The look of the 'Walter presents' logo alone looks quite niche and something that channel 4 haven't explored before. 

    3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
    They make the audience aware that box sets are available online, something which will appeal to a younger audience. It shows that video and texts can now be promoted online and are dominating the amount of time people take to watch shows online.

    Marketing and promotion:

    1) Read the programme information from the press pack. How does the programme information seek to interest a reader from the first paragraph?
    The given programme information interests the reader to want to go on to watch Deutschland 83 as it provides historical information involving the plot and the East and West of Germany. The recognition that it is based off of 'real events' suggests that the reader gains the gratification of learning about the war and also brings up nostalgia for those who could remember this specific time of the war.This paragraph states that the programme is filled with suspense - there are characters that are mentioned which gives the reader an insight of what personalities will overtake their screens a long with the story that matches their character. 

    2) What does the programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are?
    They call the programme 'stylish, fast-paced and utterly gripping'. Both sides of Germany are considered in the narrative.

    3) Read the press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
    She interviewed politicians, former and current intelligence officials and just regular people for further knowledge on the facts. They gave the perspective of both sides of the show and through the life of a spy, something that most other shows haven't done. This gave the audience a good insight into both sides - they get to see/learn something they never knew of. One part of creating the the detail of the drama is that the cast and crew all had their experiences of what Germany was before and/or after the wall came down and they also worked a lot on this show to create it as accurate as they could while still being entertaining.

    4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
    The idea of nostalgia comes into play here too. People are familiar with the 80s soundtrack. 
    International marketing:

    Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).



    1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?
    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) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?
    The DVD cover has used colour on only half of the poster/wall which hints at it being set on both sides of the wall - this is a representation of the different East and West Germany. It also highlights that the West is a much brighter, more desirable place to be occupied in compared to the East which looks dark and grey. The use of the Walkman as a prop will attract an older audience as it's nostalgic and something they're familiar with/can relate to.

    3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
    The American TV advert has used much brighter colours which would be more appealing to an audience eye. The blue and pink pop on the poster making it noticeable and attractive to the audience. The colours used do not really give anything away in terms of the story-line or sub-genre. The graphics help us understand that it's probably a show related to war, along with the protagonists costume. 

    4) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 
    Two different marketing campaigns have been used in two different countries as they are trying to appeal and attract different audiences which would make the viewer listing have a wider range of audience. 

    Comments

    Post a Comment