TV:Capital case study
Reviews and features
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?
The series had a good cast,good representation of Londoners. Doesn't represent every aspect of London.
2) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
The writer says the housing market continues to increase and will be extremely expensive and it will be an ongoing problem
3) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
The series captures modern-day London very well and has a good representation of its diversity, the working life and family life as well. It is a 'state-of the-nation' drama as it captured the main issues in London at the time and how it affected people's lives.
Trailer analysis
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The fast camera work mirrors how fast paced and busy Lodon is.
2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
The trailer uses mise-en-scene to highlight how diverse and different people in London are. Each family is unique this is shown by the clothes the characters wear, their houses and jobs.However, each of the families have problems that they are all facing which unites them.
3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
The trailer introduces narrative strands as the audience are given an insight into some of the dilemmas the characters face which creates tension in instances like when one of the characters yelled
"what are we going to do" this creates engima codes and makes the audience wonder what the problem is .
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
Some of the sub genres may be mystery, crime.
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
It portrays how people were living with issues like immigration,housing problems, the economic crash.
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
The clip provides realism for the audience as one of the characters is complaining that his family called the police"three weeks ago" and that the only reason they came was because the "white people have complained". This portrays white privilege and how which we still have today.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
An audience pleasure cold be empathising or identifying with the characters if the audience can relate with the characters.
5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The audience are positions to be empathetic towards this family,
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
This represents upper middle class family as they have their own family business that they all contribute to.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
An asian middle class family, white upper class family, single young immigrant, elderly lonely woman.
Roger and Arabella may get a divorce as there is tension between them,, Quentina meets a man she likes but may be deported, Petunia may rekindle her relationship with her daughter as she could be at risk of dying.
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
The audience might dislike Roger as he seems like he doesn't care about his wife or kids as much as he should. They might also dislike him as he tries to make it seem like being a stay at home mother is't hard work and directs his frustration on his wife.
Representations: close-textual analysis
1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in class:
Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
In the opening sequence,there is a birds eye view shot showing the neighbourhood that the characters live in, You can see that the houses are all close together creating a sense of safety and community. However, there is a scene where there is a stalker roaming the neighbourhood at night which creates tension and suspense as well as enigma codes for the audience wondering who the person is and what he is doing.
In the corner shop, the Asian family is presented as close-knit family.They also reinforce gender roles as the men were working in the shop and handling stock whereas the mother was taking care of the children and getting them ready for school.However, the show does not present Muslims in a positive way and reinforce negative stereotypes as one of the characters made a joke hinting at terrorism.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
In this scene, London is presented as busy,fast paced and the people are hardworking. Although Roger was surrounded by many people on the tube he does not seem happy which emphasises how lonely and depressing life can be. Roger seems consumed with his work life and does not seem to enjoy it either. This reinforces a stereotype that bankers do not like their jobs but only do it for the money. Also,this presents Londoners as money driven and materialistic.
Roger's workplace is male dominated but there is a binary opposition between young and old where Roger was in a meeting and a younger man was talking, Roger tried to dismiss or mock whatever they young man was saying because he was threatened by him and did not want lose his bonus.
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
In this scene the audience are given an insight into the lives of an upper middle class family. They are presented as being materialistic and unappreciative. This is evident when Roger's wife says "which of those isn't absolutely essential" and in reality most of the things that were names are not considered needs and thus not essential. This shows that Arabella is used to getting whatever she desires.
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
In this scene we see issues that are relevant to the present day. We can see that Quentina is just trying to survive and make a little money but she is being harassed and taken advantage of . The mans feels entitled to do whatever he wants because he knows she is vulnerable .The presentation of immigrants makes the audience more sympathetic towards them and villainies the people in power and the upper middle class.
2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?
Capital reinforces the stereotypes of Asian/muslim families when the father makes a joke that hints at terrorism which portrays this family negatively. It also reinforces stereotypes on upper middle class families as it presents them as materialistic, privileged and out of touch with ordinary people. Roger is the breadwinner of the family and his wife looks after the kids and is a housewife which reinforces gender roles. Additionally, Roger is presented as miserable and depressed and does not seem like he enjoys his job and is only doing for the money and bonus which also reinforces stereotypes on bankers.
Industries and production context
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
Endomol shine group
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
They got attention from their BAFTA award winning spy drama Spooks.
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Some of its productions are Tin Stars,Humans,Broadchurch and The Tunnel.
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
Kudos productions might offer diversion for audiences to escape their reality and enjoy the show.
Marketing and promotion
Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
The programme information includes the actors real names which might interest the audience if they know or recognise any of the actors.It also gives a brief summary of what the show is about where the audience will be able to tell of the bat if it is the type of the genre they will enjoy.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
If the audience recognise any of the other shows they will be more likely to watch Capital because they will know the producers can make good and interesting shows.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
Toby Jones said that Roger "isn't an evil banker,he's a slightly complacent banker" which suggests that Roger is a misunderstood character.
5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?
Akhtar suggests that the lack of community in london causes those to seek out groups where they feel as though they belong. This could be in regards to social, economic and cultural groups.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
The chaos of the Kamals family dinner as it was a scene which is poignant and relatable.
Roger being left by his wife to look after his kids which is a turning point for his character.
8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?
The complexity of the characters and how the whole of London could be represented through the microcosm of Pespy road.
DVD packaging
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
It entices the audience of those shows as they recognise that it would be a quality TV show and will be more inclined to watch it.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
It communicates how Roger is the main character as he has the largest section in the collage and it also suggests the other characters stories will be explored.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
It indicates surveillance and education as the show is described to be 'insightful'.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
That London is diverse with a range of people from all walks of life.
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?
The series had a good cast,good representation of Londoners. Doesn't represent every aspect of London.
2) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
The writer says the housing market continues to increase and will be extremely expensive and it will be an ongoing problem
3) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
The series captures modern-day London very well and has a good representation of its diversity, the working life and family life as well. It is a 'state-of the-nation' drama as it captured the main issues in London at the time and how it affected people's lives.
Trailer analysis
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The fast camera work mirrors how fast paced and busy Lodon is.
2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
The trailer uses mise-en-scene to highlight how diverse and different people in London are. Each family is unique this is shown by the clothes the characters wear, their houses and jobs.However, each of the families have problems that they are all facing which unites them.
3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
The trailer introduces narrative strands as the audience are given an insight into some of the dilemmas the characters face which creates tension in instances like when one of the characters yelled
"what are we going to do" this creates engima codes and makes the audience wonder what the problem is .
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
Some of the sub genres may be mystery, crime.
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
It portrays how people were living with issues like immigration,housing problems, the economic crash.
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
The clip provides realism for the audience as one of the characters is complaining that his family called the police"three weeks ago" and that the only reason they came was because the "white people have complained". This portrays white privilege and how which we still have today.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
An audience pleasure cold be empathising or identifying with the characters if the audience can relate with the characters.
5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The audience are positions to be empathetic towards this family,
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
This represents upper middle class family as they have their own family business that they all contribute to.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
An asian middle class family, white upper class family, single young immigrant, elderly lonely woman.
Roger and Arabella may get a divorce as there is tension between them,, Quentina meets a man she likes but may be deported, Petunia may rekindle her relationship with her daughter as she could be at risk of dying.
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
The audience might dislike Roger as he seems like he doesn't care about his wife or kids as much as he should. They might also dislike him as he tries to make it seem like being a stay at home mother is't hard work and directs his frustration on his wife.
Representations: close-textual analysis
1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in class:
Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49
In the opening sequence,there is a birds eye view shot showing the neighbourhood that the characters live in, You can see that the houses are all close together creating a sense of safety and community. However, there is a scene where there is a stalker roaming the neighbourhood at night which creates tension and suspense as well as enigma codes for the audience wondering who the person is and what he is doing.
In the corner shop, the Asian family is presented as close-knit family.They also reinforce gender roles as the men were working in the shop and handling stock whereas the mother was taking care of the children and getting them ready for school.However, the show does not present Muslims in a positive way and reinforce negative stereotypes as one of the characters made a joke hinting at terrorism.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
In this scene, London is presented as busy,fast paced and the people are hardworking. Although Roger was surrounded by many people on the tube he does not seem happy which emphasises how lonely and depressing life can be. Roger seems consumed with his work life and does not seem to enjoy it either. This reinforces a stereotype that bankers do not like their jobs but only do it for the money. Also,this presents Londoners as money driven and materialistic.
Roger's workplace is male dominated but there is a binary opposition between young and old where Roger was in a meeting and a younger man was talking, Roger tried to dismiss or mock whatever they young man was saying because he was threatened by him and did not want lose his bonus.
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
In this scene the audience are given an insight into the lives of an upper middle class family. They are presented as being materialistic and unappreciative. This is evident when Roger's wife says "which of those isn't absolutely essential" and in reality most of the things that were names are not considered needs and thus not essential. This shows that Arabella is used to getting whatever she desires.
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
In this scene we see issues that are relevant to the present day. We can see that Quentina is just trying to survive and make a little money but she is being harassed and taken advantage of . The mans feels entitled to do whatever he wants because he knows she is vulnerable .The presentation of immigrants makes the audience more sympathetic towards them and villainies the people in power and the upper middle class.
2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?
Capital reinforces the stereotypes of Asian/muslim families when the father makes a joke that hints at terrorism which portrays this family negatively. It also reinforces stereotypes on upper middle class families as it presents them as materialistic, privileged and out of touch with ordinary people. Roger is the breadwinner of the family and his wife looks after the kids and is a housewife which reinforces gender roles. Additionally, Roger is presented as miserable and depressed and does not seem like he enjoys his job and is only doing for the money and bonus which also reinforces stereotypes on bankers.
Industries and production context
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
Endomol shine group
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
They got attention from their BAFTA award winning spy drama Spooks.
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Some of its productions are Tin Stars,Humans,Broadchurch and The Tunnel.
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
Kudos productions might offer diversion for audiences to escape their reality and enjoy the show.
Marketing and promotion
Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
The programme information includes the actors real names which might interest the audience if they know or recognise any of the actors.It also gives a brief summary of what the show is about where the audience will be able to tell of the bat if it is the type of the genre they will enjoy.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
If the audience recognise any of the other shows they will be more likely to watch Capital because they will know the producers can make good and interesting shows.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore and Ben Stephenson
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
Toby Jones said that Roger "isn't an evil banker,he's a slightly complacent banker" which suggests that Roger is a misunderstood character.
5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?
Akhtar suggests that the lack of community in london causes those to seek out groups where they feel as though they belong. This could be in regards to social, economic and cultural groups.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
The chaos of the Kamals family dinner as it was a scene which is poignant and relatable.
Roger being left by his wife to look after his kids which is a turning point for his character.
8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?
The complexity of the characters and how the whole of London could be represented through the microcosm of Pespy road.
DVD packaging
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
It entices the audience of those shows as they recognise that it would be a quality TV show and will be more inclined to watch it.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
It communicates how Roger is the main character as he has the largest section in the collage and it also suggests the other characters stories will be explored.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
It indicates surveillance and education as the show is described to be 'insightful'.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
That London is diverse with a range of people from all walks of life.
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