Deutschland 83: case study blog tasks
Introduction: Reviews and features
Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.
positive - "It's a perfect moment in a near perfect series"
criticism - " Though very much an international package, it has been a bigger comparative hit abroad than at home."
2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
It shows a Stasi agent on a "human level", making us "engage with a socialist regime's worldview". The Germans clearly didn't like the way this was portrayed even though the series was well taken in other countries.
"The peace movement in the west turns out to be infiltrated not just by soviet agents, but gay soviet agents" - Germany is a very conservative country and so are majority of the people, in real life and modern day they wouldn't openly except any gay people let alone gay soviet agents.
3) 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?
"Not quite the flop of the year...but underwhelming nonetheless." The show wasn't received well by German audiences , as they may have seen it to be insensitive to the tragedies they or their family members went through during the split of Germany. Although I understand why it wasn't received well at home but I don't believe it to be "underwhelming" at all.
" Though very much an international package, it has been a bigger comparative hit abroad than at home." the show was very dramatised for its international audiences however this didn't go down well at home. It was seen to be marketed for international audiences more than domestic.
"It's a perfect moment in a near perfect series" - the moment in the supermarket captures perfectly Martin/Moritz's naivety, as Tobias makes it clear to him what's truly at stake, conveying he has no choice in the matter. It also relays that Martin is still a child, even though he has to partake in what we would deem in modern society as adult activities. Although in TV dramas it's common for teenagers to be used as spies as they can go more undetected (ie. Alex Rider).
Promotional interview
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 can think and say what he likes
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? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)
Its remit is to "deliver high quality , innovative, alternative content that challenges the status quo", it reaches this remit perfectly with this interview. It lets the audience see "alternative content", as they normally don't see foreign language conversations on mainstream British TV.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest a Channel 4 audience?
He believes that "the standpoint which Angela Merkel is taking a very, very good", this may interest a Channel 4 audience, as they are able to gain knowledge about foreign politics that subsequently "challenges the status quo"
Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations
We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.
Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
- Huge contrast in mise-en-scene between East and West - two houses
- Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender
- Strong contrast in the East German party scene with close family, friends enjoying themselves, relaxed atmosphere.
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene
- Mise-en-scene - use of colour and costume. Iconic Puma logo red T-shirt as a colourful contrast to the dull East.
- Audio codes – particularly music
- Music - Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. Diegetic sound but full of meaning to convey Martin’s first experience of the West.
- Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy
- Historical reality - Blumler & Katz U&G theory - surveillance. Danger of WW3, reference to Pershing II missiles. Key elements of D83 based on historical fact.
- Audience pleasures
- Music - 1980s references - nostalgia. Faithful reconstruction of Germany in the 1980s.
Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
- Fast-paced editing including jump cuts, typical of montage sequence.
- Split screen / editing / graphics used to emphasise difference between East and West.
- Split screen / editing / graphics used to emphasise difference between East and West.
- Audio codes
- Music and SFX: Non-diegetic sound adds pace to the sequence.
- Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narrative.
- Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narrative.
- Audience pleasures
- Genre pleasures - spy/thriller.
- German audience - nostalgia in terms of products and brands.
- International audience - surveillance (U&G theory) - learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc.
- International audience - surveillance (U&G theory) - learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc.
- Intertextuality
- similar to a Bond sequence (particularly with the gadgets)
Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing
- Close-ups of Martin while picking lock and photographing the documents.
- Close-ups of the documents themselves - words like highly classified, actual details of the missiles and Ronald Reagan’s signature. These are recreations of real documents from the time - emphasising the historical aspect of the show and the way it is based on real events; positions audience to be on Martin’s side.
- Shot from behind the blinds continues recurring motif of shots through windows or from behind objects.
Creates voyeuristic pleasure and also fits the genre of spy thriller. Audience are given the experience of spying by continually using camera shots that give the impression of observing events from a distance.
- Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound
- Non-diegetic sound - music helps convey the tension of the scene and satisfy genre expectations of spy thriller.
- Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in briefcase. Creates intensity, tension.
- Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in briefcase. Creates intensity, tension.
- Audience pleasures
- Voyeuristic pleasure - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn’t normally have a chance to see.
- U&G: Personal relationships - this scene is effective because the audience is now invested in the character of Martin. We care about what happens to him which creates the tension in the scene. Audience have to want Martin/Moritz to escape here for whole drama series to work. Emotional investment in character.
- Blumler & Katz - Uses and Gratifications theory. Surveillance - the use of real documents and genuine moments from history of cold war educates audience about German/American/Russian history. Threat of WW3.
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
It's a fiction film and TV production company; they've produced shows such as: The Pysician, Deutschland 83/86/89, All About Me etc.
2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?
It's a British multinational television production and distribution company based in London; they produce shows such as Too Hot To Handle, Password, The X Factor, Deadliest Catch etc.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
It is set in Germany, surrounded by German culture, history and language. It encompasses the globalisation of the TV industry and subsequently the world's role in that.
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
With action packed shows
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
An audience that likes action packed, multi-strand narrative series.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
It just shows that television is not allowed to be slow or boring anymore, it has to be action packed as everyones attention span is extremely low nowadays. Due to the quickness of social media our brains have been wired to process information that doesn't take too long to get to us, anything long than that specific threshold becomes instantly uninteresting. Therefore television programmes make shows full of action and suspense to keep their audience watching, if not they loose their audience views and therefore their revenue.
Marketing and promotion
Trailer: Deutschland 83 trailer
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
It just shows that television is not allowed to be slow or boring anymore, it has to be action packed as everyones attention span is extremely low nowadays. Due to the quickness of social media our brains have been wired to process information that doesn't take too long to get to us, anything long than that specific threshold becomes instantly uninteresting. Therefore television programmes make shows full of action and suspense to keep their audience watching, if not they loose their audience views and therefore their revenue.
Marketing and promotion
Trailer: Deutschland 83 trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
Inform/educate - the start of the trailer, documentary footage of 83', cold war, educating the audience that these events really did happen; maybe entices them to learn about this piece of history independently.
Personal relationships - Martin/Moritz dancing in the club with a girl, could make the audience think about their own lives or make them want to live vicariously through him.
Diversion/Entertainment - Show could be used as a form of escapism for the audience, as most television is.
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
Martin/Moritz jumping from the balcony, suggesting the show will be action packed with adrenaline pumping scenes.
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
So they could draw in a wider audience, as many native english speakers think that a show won't be good or there's no point in watching a foreign language if the can't understand it. Or they're just too lazy to read subtitles.
Press pack
Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here).
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
Press pack
Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here).
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
Her Husband was a radio signaller in West Germany, listening to the Russian troops in East Germany. The Russians knew him by name and therefore there was mole in his base. Never finding out who he was she decided to write a story based on the point of view of the mole. In 1983 the tensions were so high that the East misunderstood the preface of Able Archer and the Russians were ready to strike any minute but came to there senses later. 30 years later information about Able Archer was declassified, however the autumn of that year(2015), there was more information released, revealing that we came very close to nuclear war in 83'. This is reflected when Tobias Tischbier says "We are this close to WW3" to Martin/Moritz in the supermarket. The fluidity of real life story and historical makes this show as successful as it is, making the realities of fiction and fact seamlessly blend.
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
The music reflected the themes of pop culture that still have impact today, the nostalgia from that era may have also attracted the audience. Both young and older people would love the feeling that the music gave them; for the younger generation they may even recognise some of the songs as many of the top 100 of 83' are still on the radio today. Regardless of age everyone these days is chasing nostalgia and I think the show provides that need really well.
Press release
Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).
1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
The music reflected the themes of pop culture that still have impact today, the nostalgia from that era may have also attracted the audience. Both young and older people would love the feeling that the music gave them; for the younger generation they may even recognise some of the songs as many of the top 100 of 83' are still on the radio today. Regardless of age everyone these days is chasing nostalgia and I think the show provides that need really well.
Press release
Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).
1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?
- Launched with 1.49 mil viewers
- First ep now consolidated 2.5 mil viewers
- Due to the release of fully consolidated ratings for the launch ep has shown that the show is now rated highest amongst foreign film
2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?
2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?
“Evocative and gripping.” - The Daily Mail
“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.” - The Daily Telegraph
“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.” - TV Times
“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.” - The Guardian
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?
With the sunlight illuminating his face and the walk-man and headphones on his head , combined with his longing look conveys the coming-of-age sub-genre. The summer-like feel as well as the grafiti couple, painted kissing in the background are attributes to this.
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
With the UK DVD release, the graphics is drawn in a cartoon-like way in a sans-serif font, I assume to depict that the main character is still a child himself(ie. the coming-of-age sub-genre). The rest of the typography on the DVD release is sans-serif, giving that sleek and modern look, as the show depicts itself as a modern retelling of historical events, subtley conveying that they may have a modern take on these events. The colour scheme is also a wash of muted yellow over the entire picture - again conveying that innocence of childhood and the nostalgic theme of it.
With the American DVD release the font is again sans-serif , giving that modern feel, however the graphics are mixed media - an interesting choice. The name of the film is presented to be spray painted on, with this fading at the bottom. It uses a mix of still images for the main character, in a monochromatic style which helps him stand out in the picture. The background is extremely colourful with bold and almost neon blues and pinks canvassing the cover. Again these images look to be spray painted on conveying his adolescence. The fact that he in his army uniform is in monochromatic and the background is brightly coloured suggests that he will try and out his country and duty first before his desires of youth. This plot-line could really engage an audience, pulling them into the narrative.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
When it comes to marketing in the UK most posters are quite muted and usually not that colourful, this may be due to the kind of people in the UK as well as the environment. The weather is quite dreary most of the time, making the populations attitudes reflect it. So when film posters want to catch the people's eye, they use light, muted colours to catch their attention.
In contrast to the American cover with bold bright colours. It's trying to fit in with the overall environment of the USA, products there are very big and bold- this cover reflects that environment.
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