TV: Capital case study
Read the following interviews, reviews and features on Capital:
Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
Telegraph review by Ben Lawrence
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital
Behind the scenes filming Capital from the Daily Telegraph
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital?
- Capital is an excellent portrait of London life- the characters, setting and narrative is very recognisable.
- Adapted and directed excellently- so much fit in to the space of just three hours of television.
- The actors delivered an excellent and convincing performance
- The mystery leaves you gripped to the story
2) What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?
- The plotlines were underdeveloped
- The characters were underwritten
- The reveal of the sender of the postcards (Usman) was too rushed, opaque and underplayed- this is especially unfortunate at this time of heightened anxiety against Islam.
3) How does the TV drama change the time period and location for the story in comparison to the original novel?
The original novel by John Lanchester is set in Clapham during the 2008 financial crisis. The drama adaptation changed the story to be set in Balham in the present day.
4) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
The writer claims that "Capital is a snapshot of a property boom that no one can comprehend". The prices of London housing seems to keep increasing and increasing and there's no sign it will stop. Lanchester states that "Somehow our emotional wellbeing has become tied up with the price of our house. This is fundamentally worrying – but we’re all at it."
5) 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?
Capital captures modern-day London so accurately that it becomes very easy for an audience to recognise the characters and setting. Some references that prove this include: "Capital offers a microcosmic metaphor for London at large", "Capital is a snapshot of a property boom that no one can comprehend".
Textual analysis
Watch the trailer for Capital:
The beginning of the trailer uses establishing, bird's eye view and crane shots to capture the city of London. Here, the audience can see the type of houses London has and understand the historic nature of London.
2) What does the camera movement when characters are initially introduced suggest about the drama and its London setting? Pick out one or two shots in particular.
There are lots of long shots and medium close ups for when the characters are introduced. This allows us to see all the different characters closely. The audience will notice that each character is a different age and ethnicity. This highlights the diversity of London life. An example is the shot at 0:04 of Quentina, the police warden.
3) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
There are many shots in the trailer that capture the family element of the drama. The medium shot at 0:05 of Bogdan carrying out house renovations (holding old carpet), the medium long shot at 0:07 of Roger leaving his house in a suit while holding a suitcase highlights the domesticity in the drama, the shots at 0:16 and 0:17 of the Kamal family at the dinner table skyping their mother captures the family element the most.
4) Bastille's 'These Streets' is used as the soundtrack for the trailer. What does this communicate to the audience and why is it effective?
This soundtrack is extremely effective and fit for this drama as the singer sings "These streets are yours you can keep them". This is relevant as there is someone who wants the houses on Pepys road. However, Bastille is saying that they "are yours", meaning that no one will be able to take that away from them.
5) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
The trailer shows the "We want what you have" postcards at 0:09 and at 0:20. These are enigma codes that capture the attention of the audience as they want to know who is sending these messages and why they are doing it.
Watch the Episode 1 preview for Capital:
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
Comedy and mystery.
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
The clip contains characters of different ethnicity (Pakistani and white) and it is set in a familiar location- a corner shop.
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
The police officer is wearing the traditional police uniform that British audience will recognise. The fact that it is set in the corner shop- the till, shelves with goods, Shahid stocking up the fridge with milk in the background all help with creating a familiar scene and a sense of realism.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
From Blumler and Katz's theory of Uses and Gratifications- diversion is provided from the comedy by Shahid ("because white people called?") and his older brother Ahmed("That's the third degree he's started. He's never finished one but he likes starting.") Personal identity is also established as the audience can identify with the characters if they are of the same ethnicity or if they recognise the setting.
5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The audience may feel sympathetic to the police officer, DI Mil, as he is being targeted by Shahid and Usman ("File it as Islamophobia and forget all about it.") when he's just trying to do his job. However, many people may agree with what the brothers are saying as the police is well known for neglecting 'small, less serious cases'.
Watch the Episode 2 preview for Capital:
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
This clip shows how well privileged upper-middle class people are as they can afford a large, modern house and a nanny for their children. However, it also shows the lack of love in the family with the way Arabella treats her husband.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
There is a suggestion that an affair may happen between Roger and the nanny- he uses a sneaky trick to find out whether she is single or not. Also, Roger seems much happier with Matya than he is with his wife.
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?The audience is conflicted on how to feel about Roger. On one hand they may dislike him because of his job as a banker, the fact that he takes for granted the amount of money he earns and that he might be thinking of cheating on his wife. However, on the other hand, the audience may feel sorry for Roger because of the way his wife treats him- she seems to only be with him for the money.
Production and industry context
Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
Kudos' parent companies include: Endemol Shine Group, 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management.
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
The BAFTA Award-winning spy drama Spooks, which debuted on BBC One in May 2002.
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Kudos have produced many other TV dramas, including Humans and Broadchurch. Kudos has won 4 BAFTA awards.
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
The showreel suggests that Kudos provides a lot of entertainment- their dramas include comedy, action, mystery, etc.
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 page makes the TV drama sound interesting by asking questions that can only be answered by watching the three episode drama. "we learn more about this vivid and unforgettable ensemble of characters. Interweaving stories reveal lives filled with love and loss, fear and greed, fortune and envy and most recognisable of all, family and home - stories bursting with piercing and funny observations on modern life and urban existence, of ordinary people who find themselves caught and changed by a city at a time of extraordinary flux." This paragraph intrigues the audience the most as it highlights the familiarity of the characters and story while also mentioning that the drama includes comedy.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
The target audience may have already seen those shows and really enjoyed them so they would trust the director and producer to make Capital just as good.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama.
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
He explains how Roger is a complicated character and that he isn't the rich smug person you would expect him to be. He somehow got in to this lifestyle and just carried on with it but he soon finds himself in a position that makes him realise money isn't everything.
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 states that Capital shows how, although there is much diversity on Pepys Road, some people (such as Usman) feel ostracised from it and feel that they don't belong in this community.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
Azmi believes that Capital is an accurate representation of how Asian families are like in Britain.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
One of his favourite scenes from the drama is the morning of Christmas when Roger has been left alone to take care of the children, a punishment from Arabella. This is because it's the moment Roger realises his life is changing but it's done with such comedy.
Bowker also loves the family meals between the Kamal family. "They are quintessentially archetypal family scenes that everybody lives through, but played with great comedic panache."
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?
Wax enjoyed the idea of life on one street. "I loved the sense of this big, expansive panorama of life as well as the small details of human behaviour. The whole of London seen through the microcosm of one street. And the characters are so complex, real and believable." He states that Capital is an accurate representation of London life today- from the diversity, to the ridiculous increase in property prices. He discusses how your property has become, in a way, what defines you but the drama shows the real value of life.
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?
The DVD packaging states 'From the makers of Humans and Broadchurch' in bold at the top of the DVD cover. These are well acclaimed TV dramas that have a wide audience. This is likely to attract them in to watching Capital as they trust the makers to provide excellent drama.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
The front cover includes images of all the main characters and features a shadow of London buildings at the top. This suggests to the audience that Capital focuses on many characters of varying ethnicity and that it is set in London.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
There are review quotes from the Daily mail and The Sunday times which are very positive reviews and, therefore, attract an audience. There is a hint that the drama contains mystery as one of the reviews states "before you know it, the story has got you gripped."
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
The DVD shows the diversity that is within London.
Comments
Post a Comment