1- What is TV Drama

12A

Peter
JT

Tom
Branch
Aaron
Bailey
Shanno
n
Hasbury
Sam
Parker

Elle
Abraha
ms

Kyle
Abel
Camero
n Price

Samue
l
Hargra
ve

Kuziva
Mutisi

Leona
Bilby

Holly
O’conne
ll

Georgi
a
Allma
n

Glen
Burton

Harry
Sanda
ll
Kelsey
MP

Samue
lT

Teacher

Connor
Durran
t

12C

Zak
Munton

George
Brown
Calum
Budd
Rebecca
Boyfield
Matthe
w
Bolland

Sam
Payne

Liam
Rushto
n

Martin
Clarke

Oliie
Thompso
n

Matthe
w
Johnson

Terenc
e
Burns

Scott
James

Bailey
Danaha
r

Luke
Crane

Ross
Lee
Laura
Hatfiel
d
Marcus
Riley

Teacher

G322: TV DRAMA

TV DRAMA
Understand the requirements of your
exam
Distinguish TV Drama from other genres
Be able to analyse representation in a
range of media texts.

Exam
•
•

G322: Key Media Concepts (TV Drama) 100 marks
The exam is 2 hours (including 30 mins for viewing
and making notes on the clip) .
• Candidates are required to answer two compulsory
questions - each question is marked out of 50.
There are two sections to this paper:
Section A: Textual
Analysis and
Representation
TV Drama
Answer one question on
an unseen moving image
extract.

Section B: Institutions
and Audiences
Chosen Topic:
Video Games
Answer one question.
(50 marks)

(50 marks)

SECTION A
Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation
You will watch an ‘unseen’ TV extract from a TV drama
(a one-off drama series or serial drama programme
scheduled on British TV, including some sourced from
other countries).
You will answer one compulsory question dealing with
textual analysis of various technical aspects of the
languages and conventions of moving image media.
Candidates will be asked to link this analysis with a
discussion of some aspect of representation within the
sequence:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Camera Angle, Shot, Movement and Composition
Mise-en-Scène
Editing
Sound

What is TV Drama?
1. Write a list of the TV Dramas that
you know!
2. Put them into groups and label
them appropriately.
3. How have you decided to group
them? Why?

TV Drama is…
• A story that is presented in a
dramatic way and explores a range of
genres
• Dramatic programming that is
scripted and normally fictional

TV Drama (sub-genres)
A ‘sub-genre’ is where genres are
subdivided into even more specific
categories.

What sub-genres can
you think of?

What is a sub Genre?
• List the sub-genres…

Teen Dramas
These depend entirely on the
target audience empathising with
a range of authentic characters,
age-specific situations and
anxieties.
Think about the target audience.
Who are they? How do you know?
Explain in detail – consider miseen-scene, narrative and the
representation of at least two
characters.

Period/Costume Dramas
These are often linked to
‘classic’ novels or plays
and offer a set of pleasers
that are very different to
dramas set in our times.
Think about the target
audience.
Who are they? How do
you know?

Medical/Hospital Dramas
We witness trauma and suffering on
the part of patients and relatives with a
set of staff narratives that deploy soap
opera conventions.
E.g. Holby City, ER, Scrubs.
Think about the target audience.
Who are they? How do you know?

Police/Crime Dramas
These work in the same way as
medical/hospital dramas but we can
substitute the health context for
representation of criminals and victims.
E.g. The Bill.
As you watch this clip
think about the target audience.
Who are they?
How do you know?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rkiNw
LY9fk

Remember…
• It is rare to find a TV Drama that fits
all.
• Audiences like choice and different
audiences find appeals in different
types of media texts
• What is in each TV programme has
been constructed to appeal to those
audiences.
• Representation is constructed – your
task is to deconstruct how it has been
created using technical language.

YOUR TASK
Research examples of the following TV Drama sub-genres:
• Teen Drama
• Period/Costume drama
• Police/crime drama
• Medical/hospital drama

Who are the target
audiences?