CAPITAL CASE STUDY!

 

CAPITAL CASE STUDY:

Read the following review and feature on Capital:

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

The show is really good at introducing characters and the stereotypes they carry while also going against them. The adaptor and directors have done a good job of getting an entire book and fitting it into a 3-hour series.

The other review focuses on the characters and how they are diverse amongst each-other and how the cast has all acted sufficiently. Although, the show does focus upon the fact of the characters being underwritten which is a big problem for an ensemble cast.

The third review is much more summarised by talking about how the acting is outstanding, is based of an acclaimed novel appropriately while still being able to set it in the present day allowing the audiences of the generation to have knowledge of events.

2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?

The reviews focus on the stereotypes that are shown throughout the first episode with the old pensioner, the Asian family running a corner shop and the polish builders.

Watch the trailer for Capital:

 

1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

The camera work is used to convey London life by using aerial shots of London especially the suburban area to show how congested it is and how large the population is. 

2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?

The trailer begins with a shot of the road name allowing the audience to notice the English road sign and allows us to know the setting, by having a close-up shot of the road sign it sets audience expectations because if a skyline of London was used it would give them the idea that the show is focused around the London lifestyle

3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

Enigma codes of:

Who is sending the messages?
Is the bank bonus that high?
What do they want?
How much do they want?

 Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc. Feel free to use bullet points for each scene.

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Industries and production context 

Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?

The company was created by Shine Group but is now owned by 21st Century Fox and Endemil Shine Group as a 50/50 joint venture. 

2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?

The show had a breakthrough with the show Spooks which became so successful it got a movie in 2015.

3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?

Broadchurch, Humans, The Tunnel, Tin Star and more

4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer? 

It conveys drama, Family Lifestyle, Affairs and some suspense.

Marketing and promotion

Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.

1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?

This gives audiences a background of the cast and due to starring such popular stars, the audience will recognize the cast from other shows and movies and this may intrigue them to watch the show

2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?

This is to allow audiences that may be familiar with previous shows to be interested in Capital.

3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?

The show was " Commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama."

4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?

He mentions how he does not wish his character to be seen as evil just out of place, he also say's how Roger is a rich person but does not have it all as it may seem as his incompatible ability to self-reflect and look after his family conveys the cracks in this character.

5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?

The interview suggests that working on the show was a very realistic approach to the lifestyle of real-life Londoners, also he mentions how the script is the may reason of this due to having such manageable and relatable.

6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain? 

She agrees with the representation given to the Asian family due to referencing to the modern day and the show in parallel with the road having som many people of different class and race and the fact that in real life race is a much more diverse thing as it may have been in the past so more people are accepted of certain views.

7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?

He mentions the Christmas morning scene in the first episode where Roger has given in on the heft of parenting and the great deals it comes with, this is due to the sense of realism it holds in the real world with parenting.

8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?

The producer mentions how the relation if real house prices and how they are represented is directly realistic due to being so high and that the diversity amoung people with keeping homes the same or renovating homes like the elderly woman and the banker.

DVD packaging

Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.

1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?

The packaging uses shows such as Humans and Broadchurch to promote their show Capital as the shows are produced by the same company, this is used to create a sense idea for people who may have watched these shows to see them as similar.

2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?

That the drama is situated around different people in different class but due to the setting are from the same location, this may also show that the show revolves around different families due to the cast be secluded in their own box (home).

3)  how are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?

The review quotes suggest the show is about a mystery along with a sense of a thriller with the quote "suspense". This allows audiences to seek these pleasures and possibly watch the show.

4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?

The representation of London is a New York skyline type of appeal with British building being displayed in sihloette, also it allows some recognition with the name capital and building found in the capital of London.