Work through the following tasks to build a detailed case study for Deutschland 83. This will give you plenty of background information to use in an exam question. Remember, for this CSP the question could be on any of the key concepts: language, industries, audiences or representations.
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 reviews.
"an irresistible export: a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events "
"Yet as if to make up for such a radical premise, it then backtracks into stereotype. Stasi officers are cruel ideologues who blackmail family members and fake reports for political ends."
2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
It falls into stereotypes over the East and West.
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?
"Saw the title on Netflix recently but didn't bother. To me German series often suffer from poor production value and screenplays are either obsessed with complexity or dull and boring. The latter dominates. I blame the culture of ARD and ZDF which basically stifles all experiments in television and for some strange reason is more obsessed with viewer numbers than the privately owned channels.
Nevertheless, I'll give Tatortreiniger a try. Thanks for the tip."
They're hesitant to watch the show because it's German, bit dodgy.
"Great serie, Greater country"
Agreed.
"Loved this series. I was in West Germany in the summer of 1983 and I thought the programme makers captured the mood of the time perfectly. East Germany was much less well done (and more cartoonish) but it didn't really matter. You have to read Uwe Tellkamp's The Tower to get an idea of East Germany at that time. Unbelievable somehow that this was all happening only 6 years before the fall of the wall."
She enjoys the series despite the representation of the Eastern guards being "cartoonish" I'd agree with this sentiment.
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?
As far as he's concerned, there is no East and West Germany anymore.
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!)
Channel 4 are meant to show programmes and viewing that go against the grain as well as broadcast foreign language cinema
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
They would be more inclined to learning about history to do with another country and deepen their knowledge of society as that is what Channel 4 offers.
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
Watch this short promotional clip for Deutschland 83.
1) According to the clip, why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?
It makes history accessible to young people through something they enjoy. (Watch Horrible Histories)
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
Because it offers a modern rendition of past events, giving real history to viewers.
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
The production, costumes and props
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 mood and tone of the series
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
They researched as far as they could into making it accurate to the time, with some sets designed completely from scratch as they had no reference.
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
They provided a very key nostalgia to everyone living through the 80s as well as those who just know the culture.
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
The first BBQ:
-The colours are dulled and soviet
-Over the camera shots help establish the character as sympathetic, we see the world through his eyes.
-The youth are far more open minded to ending the war than the older characters introduced are.
-They were a very stereotypical representation of East German people at the time, in contrast to the more interesting opinions and personalities created for the West Germans.
The second:
-The colour scheme for the West is brighter and warmer
-The music is also Diagetic in the party scene, however, it is a traditional song, suggesting the West's youth can afford to look back at the past as opposed to hoping for a better future.
-There was more of a gender imbalance too, seeing as the women in the East were very much fending for themselves
-It can be interpreted that the West can afford to have gender roles in place as their economy does not need the workers.
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25
-highkey lighting
-fast pace camera work and editing
-there is diagetic music playing over the tannoy, grounding the story in the time it's set it.
-There is a very strong pop art aesthetic, showing how much deeper the abundance of culture capital runs in Western society.
-The lyrics match up with what the character is feeling, "some of them want to use you" ect..
-highkey lighting
-fast pace camera work and editing
-there is diagetic music playing over the tannoy, grounding the story in the time it's set it.
-There is a very strong pop art aesthetic, showing how much deeper the abundance of culture capital runs in Western society.
-The lyrics match up with what the character is feeling, "some of them want to use you" ect..
Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40
-There are many genre conventions relating to the spy genre such as the typewriter text on screen
-There are many genre conventions relating to the spy genre such as the typewriter text on screen
during the spy training scene there is fast pace editing but its reduced to the narrative at the intense stage. there is also a use of a montage and jump cut transitions. there is also an iconography is the spy genre with gadgets bring presented and the intertextuality of James bond. there is also a use of non-dietetic sounds in the voice-over which suggests seriousness and determination.
there is also a division presented in the representation of the two sides in their language and beliefs as well as food this division allows the audiences to make a sense of the mortifying separate lives families had to live and evokes a sense of compassion fatigue. also, there is a representation of a corrupt society that is not accurate but is plausible. there is also use of diversion with recognising iconography and surveillance.
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
- Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound
- Audience pleasures
You will do the majority of this textual analysis work in class - this section of your case study simply requires typing up your notes in an easy and memorable way (bullet points are fine).
Production and industry contexts
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around teh world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
They are a production company who have made such great hits as Wer weiß denn sowas?, Alles was zählt and the lesser known Deutschland 83.
2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?
A British international television content distributor.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
The subject matter involves many different countries, making it a dramatization of a lot of people's history.
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
They introduce him as human, with an identity, to garner trust and a relationship with him.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
People who wouldn't normally watch foreign dramas.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
We are increasingly becoming globalized.
Marketing and promotion
Trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
-diversion
-personal identity
-surveillance
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
-the enigma codes ask why the character is running, why is he fighting, what do the other shots mean.
-guns and explosions suggest action codes as well as enigma codes for why they're being used
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
To not ostracize people who would turn off immediately at the words foreign language.
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?
She researched heavily into the time and events to ground her show in reality, and then included archive footage and media of the time to build a believable world.
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
The nostalgia and throwback aspect many people find attractive.
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 is considered the most successful foreign language drama?
-It launched with 1.49 million viewers
-as of the article had 2.5 million viewers
2) How does the news release describe the drama?
The Daily Mail describes it as “Evocative and gripping."
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?
The sub-genre is hinted at through the kissing couple graffiti (romance) and the beardy men looking left graffiti (communism).
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
they use bright, eye catching colours to suggest a modern, artsy vibe for the show.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
Because different countries have different customs and iconographies, maning certain things wouldn't translate over to other countries.
