One way in which I targeted my audience was by creating a questionnaire and gathering results. The results I received enabled me to establish an age group target and also a popular genre among that audience.
Furthermore, from the textual analysis of certain children's TV drama, I have also been able to establish a common target audience of certain genres. For example, Saved By The Bell and Sabrina The Teenage Witch are sit-coms and centre upon 'teenage' life at school and the lives of young teenagers, therefore with a teenage orientated narrative, the audience is also young teenagers. In addition to this, other children's TV drama, such as Bernard's Watch and Even Stevens target a younger audience than teenagers - around 9 -12 years. Thus, the textual analysis allowed me to understand the audience associated with particular genres and has helped me in my initial ideas and final ideas for the audience I want to target, and therefore the genre associated with that.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Monday, 14 September 2009
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Reflective Writing
Development of genre
The Rules of Film Noir
Film Noir wikipedia article
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hard boiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.
The term film noir first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most American film industry professionals of the era. Cinema historians and critics defined the canon of film noir in retrospect; many of those involved in the making of the classic noirs later professed to be unaware of having created a distinctive type of film.
During a Media lesson, we watched The Rules of Film Noir, this is very different to children's TV drama but possesses information on the codes and conventions of the narrative and the use of cinematography. Most significantly, The Rules of Film Noir highlights that there is a need to show a reflection on today's modern society - through social and historical context and what is the influence or if there is a influence, such as literary or political influence. When thinking about children's TV drama and The Rules of Film Noir, both need to show evidence of a reflection on society and in Film Noir it could be the war (historical context) or social attitudes, so children's TV drama looks at the social role of children/teenagers and this is shown through characterisation and representation. Therefore, in my title sequence I can choose to use a reflection of the way children live in today's society - either the lives of teenagers or the lives of young children. Furthermore, The Rules of Film Noir underlined the role of cinematography and the common lighting, angles, positioning and shots that were used, and whether these are challenged or remain the same, thus with children's TV drama, I could choose to challenge common uses of cinematography or stick to what is commonly used.
The Rules of Film Noir
Film Noir wikipedia article
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hard boiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression.
The term film noir first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most American film industry professionals of the era. Cinema historians and critics defined the canon of film noir in retrospect; many of those involved in the making of the classic noirs later professed to be unaware of having created a distinctive type of film.
During a Media lesson, we watched The Rules of Film Noir, this is very different to children's TV drama but possesses information on the codes and conventions of the narrative and the use of cinematography. Most significantly, The Rules of Film Noir highlights that there is a need to show a reflection on today's modern society - through social and historical context and what is the influence or if there is a influence, such as literary or political influence. When thinking about children's TV drama and The Rules of Film Noir, both need to show evidence of a reflection on society and in Film Noir it could be the war (historical context) or social attitudes, so children's TV drama looks at the social role of children/teenagers and this is shown through characterisation and representation. Therefore, in my title sequence I can choose to use a reflection of the way children live in today's society - either the lives of teenagers or the lives of young children. Furthermore, The Rules of Film Noir underlined the role of cinematography and the common lighting, angles, positioning and shots that were used, and whether these are challenged or remain the same, thus with children's TV drama, I could choose to challenge common uses of cinematography or stick to what is commonly used.
Primary research - questionnaire
Questionnaire
Please circle the correct answer.
1.Which age category do you fit in to?
3-6 years 7-10 years 10-13 years 13-16 years
2.Are you male or female?
Male Female
3.How many hours do you watch television a day?
0-1 hours 2-3 hours 3-4 hours 4+ hours
4.What genre/type of television is your most watched?
Science-fiction Action/Adventure Comedy Educational Sitcom
5.Do you prefer cartoons or 'real people' in television programmes?
Please write your answer on the line below.
….....................................................................................
6.Do you like fast paced background music or slow paced?
Fast paced Slow paced
7.What attracts you most to the television shows you watch now?
Music Character(s) Narrative (storyline) Actors/Actresses Colour
8.What's your most watched channel for children's television dramas?
CITV CBBC CBeebies Disney Channel Nickelodeon
9.Do you prefer young characters (e.g. between 5 and 10), teenage characters or older characters?
…......................................................................................
10.What's your favourite television show?
…......................................................................................
I will gather around 20 responses to the questionnaire.
By creating this questionnaire for my primary research, I am able to gather information on the type of children's TV drama I should go for, and what it should contain. What's more, I can establish the target audience and what that audience want to see in their title sequence, along with the variety of effects that I could use. Moreover, by getting the responses to these questions, it can help me distinguish what appears to be the most popular genre, which can help in my title sequence; whether it's educational, science fiction or comedy, this can help with my choice of location, characters, narrative and so on.
Please circle the correct answer.
1.Which age category do you fit in to?
3-6 years 7-10 years 10-13 years 13-16 years
2.Are you male or female?
Male Female
3.How many hours do you watch television a day?
0-1 hours 2-3 hours 3-4 hours 4+ hours
4.What genre/type of television is your most watched?
Science-fiction Action/Adventure Comedy Educational Sitcom
5.Do you prefer cartoons or 'real people' in television programmes?
Please write your answer on the line below.
….....................................................................................
6.Do you like fast paced background music or slow paced?
Fast paced Slow paced
7.What attracts you most to the television shows you watch now?
Music Character(s) Narrative (storyline) Actors/Actresses Colour
8.What's your most watched channel for children's television dramas?
CITV CBBC CBeebies Disney Channel Nickelodeon
9.Do you prefer young characters (e.g. between 5 and 10), teenage characters or older characters?
…......................................................................................
10.What's your favourite television show?
…......................................................................................
I will gather around 20 responses to the questionnaire.
By creating this questionnaire for my primary research, I am able to gather information on the type of children's TV drama I should go for, and what it should contain. What's more, I can establish the target audience and what that audience want to see in their title sequence, along with the variety of effects that I could use. Moreover, by getting the responses to these questions, it can help me distinguish what appears to be the most popular genre, which can help in my title sequence; whether it's educational, science fiction or comedy, this can help with my choice of location, characters, narrative and so on.
Conclusion of the textual analysis
I watched and analysed a range of different title sequences from science fiction genre to comedy, and this has helped me significantly in ideas for my own title sequence to a children's TV drama. It is especially evident from what I watched that a theme is always established, and is established through non-diegetic sound and the style of the piece. Additionally, from what I have analysed, there is little need to have lots of action, a narrative and lots of titles - keep things simple, and focus on very few things - being the most important of the drama. For example, the main character and/or a prop or something in connection with the character. A typical setting of many children's TV dramas, for a young teen audience, is a school, and this has given me the idea of using a school as the focus and location.
These are some of the things that appear to needed to be included:
- a theme
- choose a particular style, e.g. animation, and keep this is the main style
- a setting/ a location
- introduce one or more main characters, can include supporting characters
- non-diegetic sound more important, no need for dialogue or any other diegetic sound
- either fast paced or slow paced
Furthermore, analysing a range of texts from children's TV drama has been very effective as an opening for my research; I have an insight into the codes and conventions and have developed some initial ideas that I had before watching the intros to children's TV drama.
Thus, while the title sequences that I analysed were each different, with quite different themes, they were quite similar in their title sequences - focusing on the similar things, introducing themes, providing the audience with the location and engaging the audience through the style, music and characters. Therefore, from my textual analysis, I have a clearer understanding of what title sequences need to express, and what is needed to be shown to attract and engage the target audience.
These are some of the things that appear to needed to be included:
- a theme
- choose a particular style, e.g. animation, and keep this is the main style
- a setting/ a location
- introduce one or more main characters, can include supporting characters
- non-diegetic sound more important, no need for dialogue or any other diegetic sound
- either fast paced or slow paced
Furthermore, analysing a range of texts from children's TV drama has been very effective as an opening for my research; I have an insight into the codes and conventions and have developed some initial ideas that I had before watching the intros to children's TV drama.
Thus, while the title sequences that I analysed were each different, with quite different themes, they were quite similar in their title sequences - focusing on the similar things, introducing themes, providing the audience with the location and engaging the audience through the style, music and characters. Therefore, from my textual analysis, I have a clearer understanding of what title sequences need to express, and what is needed to be shown to attract and engage the target audience.
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
'Bernard's Watch' textual analysis
Format: Children's Comedy
Directed by: David Cobham
Original run: 1997 - 2001 – 2004 - 2005
Camera, Editing, Sound, Mise-en-scene:
- calm atmosphere and slow paced
- very little action - establishes the main character and highlights the watch as a predominate focus
- the camera remains still at several points of the title sequence, e.g. the first 7 seconds being the longest, followed by 3 second still shots
- the first 7 seconds show a young male character walking up, and the camera then switches to a long shot of the boy walking
- a low angle shot shows a watch and the boy walking towards it, the low angle shot puts the watch as the focus
- the clock 'sparkles' which symbolises magic and the colour scale changes as the watch sparkles, again reinforcing the magic linked to the watch
- the background behind the boy shows clock mechanisms and the colour scale is dark
- a rainbow directs to the watch, suggesting the happiness linked to the watch
- non-diegetic clock 'ticking' is heard along with the background music
- the title sequence ends with a still shot of Bernard holding up his watch - the boy is positioned on the left and the watch is positioned on the right, showing that they are equal in their importance and focus of the drama
The Bernard's Watch title sequence is similar to Sabrina The Teenage Witch title sequence in that the theme of something 'magic' can be ascertained. The background setting is kept very simple to allow the focus to stay on the boy and the watch, and the camera angles used, such as low angles, accentuated more attention to they boy and the watch. The watch and the boy have equal importance in the title sequence, which suggests that they have an equal role of significance in the drama. For example, the last shot shows the boy positioned on the left and the watch positioned on the right, again reinforcing their equal importance. Moreover, effects such as the sparkle off the watch and the background of clock mechanisms over the boy highlights the importance of the watch and suggests the theme. Therefore, Bernard's Watch has an effective title sequence; action isn't used much and this gives the audience time to establish the theme and ensures that the focus is kept on what's important to the drama - the boy and the watch.
Directed by: David Cobham
Original run: 1997 - 2001 – 2004 - 2005
Camera, Editing, Sound, Mise-en-scene:
- calm atmosphere and slow paced
- very little action - establishes the main character and highlights the watch as a predominate focus
- the camera remains still at several points of the title sequence, e.g. the first 7 seconds being the longest, followed by 3 second still shots
- the first 7 seconds show a young male character walking up, and the camera then switches to a long shot of the boy walking
- a low angle shot shows a watch and the boy walking towards it, the low angle shot puts the watch as the focus
- the clock 'sparkles' which symbolises magic and the colour scale changes as the watch sparkles, again reinforcing the magic linked to the watch
- the background behind the boy shows clock mechanisms and the colour scale is dark
- a rainbow directs to the watch, suggesting the happiness linked to the watch
- non-diegetic clock 'ticking' is heard along with the background music
- the title sequence ends with a still shot of Bernard holding up his watch - the boy is positioned on the left and the watch is positioned on the right, showing that they are equal in their importance and focus of the drama
The Bernard's Watch title sequence is similar to Sabrina The Teenage Witch title sequence in that the theme of something 'magic' can be ascertained. The background setting is kept very simple to allow the focus to stay on the boy and the watch, and the camera angles used, such as low angles, accentuated more attention to they boy and the watch. The watch and the boy have equal importance in the title sequence, which suggests that they have an equal role of significance in the drama. For example, the last shot shows the boy positioned on the left and the watch positioned on the right, again reinforcing their equal importance. Moreover, effects such as the sparkle off the watch and the background of clock mechanisms over the boy highlights the importance of the watch and suggests the theme. Therefore, Bernard's Watch has an effective title sequence; action isn't used much and this gives the audience time to establish the theme and ensures that the focus is kept on what's important to the drama - the boy and the watch.
'Grange Hill' textual analysis
Format: Drama/Soap
Created by : Phil Redmond
Original airing: 8 February 1978 –
15 September 2008
Camera, Editing, Sound, Mise-en-scene:
1978 title sequence
- comic/magazine style used for the title sequence
- school location and setting is established through the comic, e.g. sports, school bus, school uniform/clothing, characters
- camera zooms in and out of comic images
- panning of all angles to different comic shots
- titles appear as part of the comic
- background music is slow paced
- after the comic sequence, an establishing shot of the school is seen
- a character goes to unlock a gate, this is shown by a long shot - engaging the audience with the location/narrative
2004 title sequence
- the beginning of the title sequence establishes a 'game' them; the title 'loading' links to games and is moving at a fast speed which is a common feature in games
- the pace is very fast paced
- a game theme is illustrated through different 'levels' and icons, such as 'power' at the side of the screen - these are symbolic of games
- like the pace, the camera movement is also very quick
- a school setting/location is established through the mise-en-scene
- the theme of game suggests that the target audience could mainly be male, as games are stereotypically played by boys more than girls
- teachers are also shown in a negative light, suggesting the drama is from the point of view of students
There are significant differences between the 1978 title sequence and the 2004 title sequence - most notably being the style - a game vs a comic. This shows the development of the drama but also the development of technology. The use of a comic style and a game style for the titles instantly engages the audience and targets the audience as young; children and teenagers can connect with games and comics, as in 1978 comics would have been popular and in 2004 games were popular to children, and regularly played. Nevertheless, while these styles were used, the location and narrative was expressed and hinted at being a school and following the lives of students from their point of view. This was reinforced when in the 2004 title sequence a teacher was seen in a negative light - 'telling them off', suggesting it is a point of view from the student. Therefore, these title sequences highlight that a style can be used to engage and address the audience, but at the same time remembering to introduce characters, setting and theme.
Created by : Phil Redmond
Original airing: 8 February 1978 –
15 September 2008
Camera, Editing, Sound, Mise-en-scene:
1978 title sequence
- comic/magazine style used for the title sequence
- school location and setting is established through the comic, e.g. sports, school bus, school uniform/clothing, characters
- camera zooms in and out of comic images
- panning of all angles to different comic shots
- titles appear as part of the comic
- background music is slow paced
- after the comic sequence, an establishing shot of the school is seen
- a character goes to unlock a gate, this is shown by a long shot - engaging the audience with the location/narrative
2004 title sequence
- the beginning of the title sequence establishes a 'game' them; the title 'loading' links to games and is moving at a fast speed which is a common feature in games
- the pace is very fast paced
- a game theme is illustrated through different 'levels' and icons, such as 'power' at the side of the screen - these are symbolic of games
- like the pace, the camera movement is also very quick
- a school setting/location is established through the mise-en-scene
- the theme of game suggests that the target audience could mainly be male, as games are stereotypically played by boys more than girls
- teachers are also shown in a negative light, suggesting the drama is from the point of view of students
There are significant differences between the 1978 title sequence and the 2004 title sequence - most notably being the style - a game vs a comic. This shows the development of the drama but also the development of technology. The use of a comic style and a game style for the titles instantly engages the audience and targets the audience as young; children and teenagers can connect with games and comics, as in 1978 comics would have been popular and in 2004 games were popular to children, and regularly played. Nevertheless, while these styles were used, the location and narrative was expressed and hinted at being a school and following the lives of students from their point of view. This was reinforced when in the 2004 title sequence a teacher was seen in a negative light - 'telling them off', suggesting it is a point of view from the student. Therefore, these title sequences highlight that a style can be used to engage and address the audience, but at the same time remembering to introduce characters, setting and theme.
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