TV: The rise of foreign-language television
TV: The rise of foreign-language television
The rise of foreign-language TV: Blog tasks
1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?
The article suggests that people who watch foreign language dramas tend to be declared as pretentious, odd, and dull.
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Luzzolino suggests that there a few key appeals of his Walter Presents shows, one being that each of the shows present were massive hits in their respective countries, each earning massive amounts of money.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
It tells us that the subtitles help the audience keep their focus on what they're focusing on, without it they may become distracted and lose the plot of what they are watching.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
Walter mentions that the main pleasure is surveillance and that fiction plays a major part with whether audiences continue to watch foreign shows
Now, look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
For Sherlock, the creators of the show are using the theories and opinions of the show's fans to help change certain aspects of the show. In Sherlock, they had a scene which included fans theorising what happened to Sherlock.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
Deutschland 83 was released in the US 5 months after its release in Germany on the AMC's network Sundance TV June 2015.
2) 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) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
The two companies are Sundance TV and FremantleMedia. They had announced the sequel Deutschland 83.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
The positive reception of the show to western audiences
5) 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?
He uses both facebook and twitter to help communicate with fans of the Walter presents the show, this allowed the foreign dramas more accessible
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now, look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
Tv allows foreign cultures to present itself to audiences and is less alienating in comparison to foreign movies
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
Homelands emphasis is far more on the returning of a soldier than prisoners of war.
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I believe that Deutschland 83 and its basic plot is common knowledge within Germany, due to this it may have appeared to be quite boring. Since this information is new to most western countries, it may be more interesting for US and UK audiences.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
It suggests that audiences lose focus on what they're watching and the subtitles help the viewer keep the focus
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
He believes that dramas should first interest the local communities, with that interest the shows will, in turn, do better with international audiences.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, 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:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The traditional lengths for TV dramas are 60, 30, 15 minutes and scheduled around hour and half hour scheduling in order to make it easier to broadcast.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
As many traditional broadcasters use cliffhangers to help keep viewers invested and wanting more every week, streaming sites have completely gotten ridden of this tradition as viewers now have the ability to binge watch shows.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
Cliffhangers have become useless and obsolete as streaming sites release all the episodes to show the day they release, this leads to cliffhangers being answered almost immediately
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
Most dramas are shot sticking to the 45 to 60 minutes per episode formula as they are mostly filmed in blocks, this allows costs to minimized and time to managed properly
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
The benefit of self-scheduling and repeat viewing affects consumption. Production companies have now begun facing more criticism from the minority; it is then altered to help make TV drama seem worse in the eyes of the public.
The article suggests that people who watch foreign language dramas tend to be declared as pretentious, odd, and dull.
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Luzzolino suggests that there a few key appeals of his Walter Presents shows, one being that each of the shows present were massive hits in their respective countries, each earning massive amounts of money.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
It tells us that the subtitles help the audience keep their focus on what they're focusing on, without it they may become distracted and lose the plot of what they are watching.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
Walter mentions that the main pleasure is surveillance and that fiction plays a major part with whether audiences continue to watch foreign shows
Now, look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
For Sherlock, the creators of the show are using the theories and opinions of the show's fans to help change certain aspects of the show. In Sherlock, they had a scene which included fans theorising what happened to Sherlock.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
Deutschland 83 was released in the US 5 months after its release in Germany on the AMC's network Sundance TV June 2015.
2) 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?
German pilot figures: 3.19mn
German finale figures: 1.63mn
Channel 4 peak: 2.13 mn
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
The two companies are Sundance TV and FremantleMedia. They had announced the sequel Deutschland 83.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
The positive reception of the show to western audiences
5) 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?
He uses both facebook and twitter to help communicate with fans of the Walter presents the show, this allowed the foreign dramas more accessible
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now, look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
Tv allows foreign cultures to present itself to audiences and is less alienating in comparison to foreign movies
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
Homelands emphasis is far more on the returning of a soldier than prisoners of war.
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I believe that Deutschland 83 and its basic plot is common knowledge within Germany, due to this it may have appeared to be quite boring. Since this information is new to most western countries, it may be more interesting for US and UK audiences.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
It suggests that audiences lose focus on what they're watching and the subtitles help the viewer keep the focus
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
He believes that dramas should first interest the local communities, with that interest the shows will, in turn, do better with international audiences.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, 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:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The traditional lengths for TV dramas are 60, 30, 15 minutes and scheduled around hour and half hour scheduling in order to make it easier to broadcast.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
As many traditional broadcasters use cliffhangers to help keep viewers invested and wanting more every week, streaming sites have completely gotten ridden of this tradition as viewers now have the ability to binge watch shows.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
Cliffhangers have become useless and obsolete as streaming sites release all the episodes to show the day they release, this leads to cliffhangers being answered almost immediately
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
Most dramas are shot sticking to the 45 to 60 minutes per episode formula as they are mostly filmed in blocks, this allows costs to minimized and time to managed properly
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
The benefit of self-scheduling and repeat viewing affects consumption. Production companies have now begun facing more criticism from the minority; it is then altered to help make TV drama seem worse in the eyes of the public.
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