Deutschland 83: case study blog task
Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
Daily Telegraph review
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?
2) What criticisms are made of the show?
3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?
4) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
he values his freedom and mobility.
he likes the fact that he can think and say what he likes.
His generation has less of a connection to the "dark side" of German history
He feels that his generation has the duty to help other people in society
2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience?
channel 4 has an objective to provide creative content across different media platforms. Also,to deliver high quality, innovative, alternative content that challenges the status quo in society. The adding of a subtitled international show and interview subverts the status quo as well as providing alternative content as these types of programmes arent very mainstream or "status quo worthy".
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
Behind the scenes clips
The All4 website has a range of clips from behind the scenes of Deutschland 83. Watch the following:
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
1) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.
1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.
2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
3) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).
5) Pick three examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting the confirm the sub-genre of period drama. Why might this appeal to an audience?
7) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
Production and industry context
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
2)What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
3) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why is considered the most successful foreign language drama?
“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.”-TV Times
“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.”-The Guardian
“A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents.”The Times
“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.”The Daily Telegraph
International marketing
Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).
1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?
2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?
3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
Daily Telegraph review
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?
- pop nostalgia and strategic storytelling
- a near-perfect series.
- it has been a bigger comparative hit abroad than at home.
- Massive hype generated 3 million viewers
- extremely well done
- an international success story
- impressive viewing figures
2) What criticisms are made of the show?
- not very glamorous
- wry humour
- sometimes lacks drama
- Though very much an international package, it has been a bigger comparative hit abroad than at home.
- so unremarkable
- too simple
3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?
- it did so well due to all the little details and aspects of 1983 divided Germany included in the show
4) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?
- "rich with period and humor"
- some Germans felt that it provided a false representation of Germany
- personally i think it was a good period costume drama due to all the details,as mentioned before, included in the show
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience?
channel 4 has an objective to provide creative content across different media platforms. Also,to deliver high quality, innovative, alternative content that challenges the status quo in society. The adding of a subtitled international show and interview subverts the status quo as well as providing alternative content as these types of programmes arent very mainstream or "status quo worthy".
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
- getting an actual German citizen to provide a political view interests channel 4 audiences as they get to gain knowledge of German politics and the views of a civilian that is not British.
Behind the scenes clips
The All4 website has a range of clips from behind the scenes of Deutschland 83. Watch the following:
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
1) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?
- great performances
- "equally interesting for the older and younger viewers"
- fast paced
- action packed
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
- the history aspect offers an insight into 1983 divided Germany to audiences which offers a different side of lives around the world - during the cold war etc...
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
- great acting performances
- cinematography-artistic shots
- costume
- set design
Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.
1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?
- they set the scene of setting and time period for this show - the show is set in the early 80's which had unique fashions styles, hair etc.. so to replicate this was so important to reflect what life was actually like.
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
- the show effectively replicated an 80's divided Germany through the costume which reflected accurate 80's fashion but also the lifestyles of the 2 German sides, on being more privileged and one being less
- the props also reflected 80's technology advancements aswell as the branding of food, products etc...
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
- they set the scene and let the audience realise the time setting location etc...
- they offer nostalgia
- the gratification of nostalgia
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.
- a voice over is used. It's a quote from the president Ronald Reagan -The Soviet Union was very offended by the speech that Reagan made- this allows the audience to gain attention and understand the time this is set and the main theme of the show
- the font used that states "SPY, SOLDIER"etc... is a typical 80's font style
- the split screen hints to the double life martin/moritz leads in the show
2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
- diversion-escapism and entertainment- the show is a form of entertainment for millions of audiences
- personal identity- relating to characters onscreen- perhaps some characters can relate to the characters on screen which gives the gratification of inclusion
- surveillance- information- audiences learn of life in the cold war , east and west Germany, soldiers etc...
3) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
- enquiry into where the protagonist is running to
- high attention to when a character has a gun pointed at him
4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).
- when we see martin/moritz in a supermarket in a traditional 80's fashion attire-reinforce 80's nostalgia
- martin/moritz picking a lock - james bond characteristics
- a fight scene at 00:28 - action packed- reinforce thriller genre
5) Pick three examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting the confirm the sub-genre of period drama. Why might this appeal to an audience?
- the supermarket scene- 80's nostalgia - bright colours that appeal to audiences
- the opening of bombs , captions on screen- give a sense of war and past historical events
- the opening of an old designed briefcase
- its an anti war song- social comment on war
- it has an intense crescendo every now and again which adds into a sense of patriarchy
7) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
- to entice audiences from an entirely German dialogued programme which could put people off
- entice a more international audience
Production and industry context
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
- they are a production company
- generation war
- the tower
2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?
- they create, produces and distributes shows.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
- it was distributed normally like other television programmes
Walter Presents
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
- Channel 4 introduces Walter as a man that only watches the best series.
2)What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
- they are trying to appeal to "thrilling,provocative, funny and explosive" audiences
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
- diverse range of genres
- changing nature of television
- binge watching
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
- historical context is used through how west Germany and east Germany were divided by the Berlin wall:West- NATO. East- Soviet Union.
- the show is about a young man from East Germany who is sent undercover in the West German army as a spy for the Stasi in 1983 at the time of the perishing nuclear missiles installation.
- It’s a spy-thriller and a coming of age story
- based on events that happened to her husband - when he was doing his West German military service in the 1980’s as a radio signaller in West Germany, listening to the Russian troops in East Germany.
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
- it offers nostalgia to audiences of an older demographic due to the use of popular 80's music
3) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why is considered the most successful foreign language drama?
- launched with 1.49 million viewers
- first episode gained a mass of 2.5 million viewers
International marketing
Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).
1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?
- Coming of age-young man presented, the murals on the background of the image in the first image
- spy thriller- the text used on the first image
- period - the uniform, the colours and weapons displayed in the second image
2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?
- the background consists of graffitied murals on the famous berlin wall- shows rebellion and real life events
- the use of props in the foreground image of the protagonist-sets the time (80's)
- the font of the title is in bright yellow and in a typical retro style- nostalgia and 80's feel
3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
- the font is rough and gritty which reflects the shows certain aspects
- the colours are bright and vibrant which emphasis the 80's electronic age of technology music, fashion etc..
- the black and white character on the front contrasts with the background which emphasizes the fact that the character doesn't fit in his lifestyle which as we learn in the show is his new west germany lifestyle
Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
- to promote a "niche" type of programme that not many people would know originally
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