INDUSTRY CONTEXTS

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?

- It premiered on AMC Network's Sundance TV in 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?

- Germany went from 3.19 million to 1.63 million viewers.

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October? 

- SudanceTV and FremantleMedia.

- They announced there would be a second series of Deutschland 83.

4) 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 promotes foreign drama on it's own terms viewers can pick and choose from the most popular productions from around the world.

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

1) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

- Amazon are working on "choosing your own adventure" shows.

2) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

- “Your form of storytelling has to reflect the fact that people could watch [the whole series] straight away. So the hooks at the end of every episode are very important. But you also have to think about how you give information. With a thriller for terrestrial TV, you tend to have a recap at the start of each episode. But, with SVOD [streaming video on demand], you can get straight on with the story.”

3) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

- License fee funding permits a 59-minute uninterrupted, while advertising on a commercial network mandates a script of 46 minutes that is broken three or four times for ads.

4) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

- Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully democratised criticism, but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters.

Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries 

1) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

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2) What is technological convergence? 

3) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

4) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

- Foreign-language dramas aren't even on-trend, they're fully mainstream.

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

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3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?