INDUSTRY CONTEXT!

INDUSTRY CONTEXT:

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. If the website is blocked or forcing you to register you can access the text of the article here. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:

What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

If you had mentioned to a coworker fifteen years ago that you had spent your Saturday night engrossed in a subtitled European drama, you would have been subtly called pretentious, dull, and perhaps even a little odd. Foreign-language dramas are now completely mainstream, not just on-trend.

 What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

"Truthfully, I think it's simply down to the material," says Iuzzolino. "What filtered in before was mostly for a small, dedicated community of people who loved their intellectually complex cinema. Now we see shows that are populist and successful; we're tasting what people like us love in other countries, not something niche. Plus there was the advent of the 'box-set binge' as Netflix and others transformed how we watch TV."

The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

The rise in popularity of foreign TV could also be related to something else. Subtitles are a welcome enforcer for us to focus when we are frequently diverted from our TV viewing by Twitter feeds and a pinging WhatsApp. Deeks asserts that reading subtitles requires complete focus on the screen. "That focus gives the viewing experience a certain intensity. When you're watching a foreign-language drama, you simply cannot multitask.

 What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

Deeks states, "We all love learning about a different culture. "The strange setting gives genre pieces a freshness." Iuzziolino concurs. Because you are in Sweden while you watch, he claims, you grow to love the faraway lands. "If you watch something amazing that is set in Argentina, one of the biggest draws is Argentina itself—the homes, the people, what they wear, how they speak, and the language. That gives me a great deal of pleasure.

Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

The programme was the first German-language TV programme to debut on a US network when it debuted on Sundance TV on the AMC Network in June 2015. The fact that Deutschland '83 premiered on Germany's commercial RTL channel five months after the US does double duty as a sign of the show's international appeal and a hint as to where the German crime drama was (and is) going to find its audience.

The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

3.19 million people watched the German premiere. That number decreased with each new episode, reaching its lowest point, 1.63 million, by the end of the series. The highest-rated foreign drama in the UK was broadcast on Channel 4 and peaked at 2.13 million viewers during prime time.

 Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October? 

SundanceTV and FremantleMedia finally announced in October that there will be a second series of Deutschland 83 (called Deutschland 86, more likely than not followed by the pivotal year of 89).

How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?

It's impossible to not become engrossed in the experience, even if you're tired of foreign drama because Iuzzolino posts a "Weekend Pick" on his Facebook page and interacts with followers on Twitter. Foreign and subtitled productions are "relegated to the elite" and the art-house in the UK, according to Iuzzolino. This perception in Britain has undoubtedly changed as a result of his streaming service.

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

 How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

"Your method of storytelling must take into account the fact that viewers could watch the entire series at once. Therefore, the hooks at the conclusion of each episode are crucial. However, you also need to consider how you convey information. A recap usually begins each episode of a thriller on terrestrial television. With streaming video on demand, however, you can jump right into the action.

 Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

You must consider how viewers might watch the entire series at once when developing your story. The hooks at the end of each episode are therefore very important. But you should also think about how you present information. Each episode of a thriller on terrestrial television typically starts with a recap. But with streaming video on demand, you can join the action at any time.

How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

No matter how they are ultimately screened, they are typically shot in blocks. While one team is preparing the next scene for a drama, another team is filming the previous scene in order to make the most of the time and cut down on the cost of actors and crew. Therefore, even though a drama that is streamed technically does not need to be divided at all, it still makes logistical and financial sense to hire on an episode-by-episode basis.  According to Shindler, we will always need to divide productions into time-groups. The difficulty is that directors must believe they are telling a complete story in order to be enticed to shoot a block of episodes. So that also has an impact on structure. The secret is to have significant story arcs within the larger narrative.

 How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

Viewer responses have been drastically changed by permanent 24/7 connectivity. Live tweeting by viewers has democratised criticism in a useful way, but this new media interaction has also given the traditional media a stick to beat broadcasters with. Stories about purported outrage over confusing actors or violent action frequently turn out to be based on the fact that a tiny fraction of the millions of viewers tweeted negatively. "I talk to other showrunners about this," Mercurio claims. "It's the main factor that actually sets our clocks in motion. A certain segment of the press does it very purposefully. 

Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries 

Finally, go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45). Answer the following questions:

What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

The trend for the first two bullet points began in the 1980s, and the Internet has made the last two easier, especially with the widespread adoption of broadband connections in the twenty-first century. In the 1980s, media companies started to understand the value of synergy (see "Synergy rules OK?," MM 14), and governments in the west started to recognise the economic advantages of having a strong "cultural" sector (particularly the film, television, and music industries), as a result of the decline of manufacturing industries. 

What is technological convergence? 

Technological convergence is digitisation of media which meant that every media form  could be accessed on computers. 

How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

Recently, the chair of Ofcom proposed that Google and Facebook be regulated as publishers rather than being viewed as merely Internet platforms that bear no responsibility for the content hosted on their websites, as they prefer to be. For instance, extreme content is hosted by Google's YouTube, but if similar content were broadcast by traditional broadcasters, they risked fines or even losing their licence.

The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

Netflix also knew it would have to create its own content because traditional media companies would eventually realise they could create their own Internet distribution networks. This was even more cunning. Disney, for instance, has switched over to distributing all of its content on its own channel instead of through Netflix. Netflix expects to spend $8 billion on original content in the upcoming year, while Amazon's budget is anticipated to be $4.5 billion. Amazon opened in 200 countries in 2016, and Netflix simultaneously expanded its service to 130 additional nations, bringing its total to 190.