The rise of foreign-language TV
Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas
Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:
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?
"Truthfully, I think it's simply down to the material," says Iuzzolino. "What filtered in before was mostly for a small, dedicated community of people who loved their intellectually complex cinema. Now we see shows that are populist and successful; we're tasting what people like us love in other countries, not something niche. Plus there was the advent of the 'box-set binge' as Netflix and others transformed how we watch TV."
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
' we're frequently distracted from our TV viewing by Twitter feeds and a pinging WhatsApp, subtitles are a welcome enforcement for us to focus. "When you read subtitles, you have to be glued to the screen," says Deeks. "That concentration gives a particular intensity to the viewing experience. You just can't multitask when you're watching a foreign-language drama."'
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
'"You develop a love for the distant world because while you're watching, you're in Sweden," he says. "If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that."'
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
'China's 98 million online fans of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, or "Curly Fu" and "Peanut" as they are affectionately known in the enormous, unofficial Asian market (the Chinese Central Television network bans the show), are in for a special treat tonight. When the new special episode, "The Abominable Bride", is finally aired, one clue will only be decipherable to Chinese speakers.'
The industry recognised the popularity he had in China and aired it due to the tight regulations made by the Chinese Central Television.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
Premiering on AMC Network’s Sundance TV in June 2015, the show was the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. The fact Germany’s commercial RTL channel received Deutschland ’83 five months after the US both signifies the series’ global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was (and is) to find its audience.
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?
Whilst Deutschland ’83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany, with its US premiere garnering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany’s 3.19 million, the series proved more successful in the US than its homeland. As previously mentioned, the German premiere had 3.19 million viewers. Each new episode saw that figure drop, and by the series’ conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million — it’s lowest figure.Meanwhile, American audience viewing figures kept rising, and, not only did more people tune in, but the series was a critical success.
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
5) 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?
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
More so than film, TV tends to feel culturally specific, tailored to domestic tastes — it gets piped into your home, and for many people serves as audiovisual wallpaper in the background while their attention is mainly focused elsewhere.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into
'Homeland' when remade in the US?
' creator Gideon Raff noted that the original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an “open wound in Israeli society,” but that for the U.S. the emphasis was on the agent investigating the returned soldier, on a more American issues of distrusting the government and of a fears of agents among us.'
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
'Van Zandt pointed out that before this point NRK had never sold anything internationally before. Serving as a writer and executive producer on the series as well as its lead actor, he suggested that “the way to make this more international is to make this more Norwegian. I want to know everything that is eccentric about Norway, different, funny, unique — all that I want to get into this show.”'
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
They have changed the traditional production as Netflix now produces it's own series. Now, people can catch up within a day on an entire series rather than having to wait 7 days for a new episode.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
The shows are easily accessible and with more cliffhangers people watch 'one more episode' and then continue to binge.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:
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?
"Truthfully, I think it's simply down to the material," says Iuzzolino. "What filtered in before was mostly for a small, dedicated community of people who loved their intellectually complex cinema. Now we see shows that are populist and successful; we're tasting what people like us love in other countries, not something niche. Plus there was the advent of the 'box-set binge' as Netflix and others transformed how we watch TV."
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
' we're frequently distracted from our TV viewing by Twitter feeds and a pinging WhatsApp, subtitles are a welcome enforcement for us to focus. "When you read subtitles, you have to be glued to the screen," says Deeks. "That concentration gives a particular intensity to the viewing experience. You just can't multitask when you're watching a foreign-language drama."'
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
'"You develop a love for the distant world because while you're watching, you're in Sweden," he says. "If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that."'
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
'China's 98 million online fans of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, or "Curly Fu" and "Peanut" as they are affectionately known in the enormous, unofficial Asian market (the Chinese Central Television network bans the show), are in for a special treat tonight. When the new special episode, "The Abominable Bride", is finally aired, one clue will only be decipherable to Chinese speakers.'
The industry recognised the popularity he had in China and aired it due to the tight regulations made by the Chinese Central Television.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
Premiering on AMC Network’s Sundance TV in June 2015, the show was the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. The fact Germany’s commercial RTL channel received Deutschland ’83 five months after the US both signifies the series’ global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was (and is) to find its audience.
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?
Whilst Deutschland ’83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany, with its US premiere garnering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany’s 3.19 million, the series proved more successful in the US than its homeland. As previously mentioned, the German premiere had 3.19 million viewers. Each new episode saw that figure drop, and by the series’ conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million — it’s lowest figure.Meanwhile, American audience viewing figures kept rising, and, not only did more people tune in, but the series was a critical success.
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
5) 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?
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
More so than film, TV tends to feel culturally specific, tailored to domestic tastes — it gets piped into your home, and for many people serves as audiovisual wallpaper in the background while their attention is mainly focused elsewhere.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into
'Homeland' when remade in the US?
' creator Gideon Raff noted that the original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an “open wound in Israeli society,” but that for the U.S. the emphasis was on the agent investigating the returned soldier, on a more American issues of distrusting the government and of a fears of agents among us.'
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
'Van Zandt pointed out that before this point NRK had never sold anything internationally before. Serving as a writer and executive producer on the series as well as its lead actor, he suggested that “the way to make this more international is to make this more Norwegian. I want to know everything that is eccentric about Norway, different, funny, unique — all that I want to get into this show.”'
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
They have changed the traditional production as Netflix now produces it's own series. Now, people can catch up within a day on an entire series rather than having to wait 7 days for a new episode.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
The shows are easily accessible and with more cliffhangers people watch 'one more episode' and then continue to binge.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
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