Deutschland 83
Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
Daily Telegraph review
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?
Deutschland 83 is that the storyline is very 'gripping', 'serious thriller driven by jeopardy and wry humour' and 'Deutschland 83 has wowed the world – pity the Germans don’t like it'.
2) What criticisms are made of the show?
The show may 'occasionally lack drama'. That the show 'backtracks into stereotype'.
3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?
The telegraph 'period feel was heightened with snatches of news footage of Erich Honecker, the East German leader'. This then created a sense of realism.
4) 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?
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?
Jonas Nay says that he values his "freedom and mobility".
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!)
That they may be trying to attract a German audience to create more awareness of the film.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
Politics is handled differently in each country so they may want a German perspective of how the German politics is.
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) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83 - what does the clip offer viewers?
Deutschland 83 should be watched because "it's fun" and "super interesting".
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
This makes it appealing to the older and the younger generation.
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
"Fast-paced and action packed".
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?
To give the audience the feel that they are actually there within the scene.
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
A lot because this gives the audience the feel that they are present there at that time period.
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
It would create a sense of realism.
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.
This is effective because what this does is that this creates a sense of suspense for the audience. This is by the use of the tension building music in the trailer. Which would attract their audience as this also creates a sense of suspense between the west and the east side.
2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
One of the pleasure's suggested is surveillance as there is a lot of as in some of the scenes it seems like the character is being watched which creates the sense of the surveillance.
3) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
The trailer uses action and enigma codes to create the tension in this TV drama. In one of the scene the character is holding a prop which is a gun this suggests that there maybe death in this TV drama of one or more people.
4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).
One of the shot would be when you can see the timer counting downwards and reaches 0. Another shot could be when the protagonist is trying to open the lock with a pin. A third shot could be when the protagonist jumps from a very high building. All of these create the sense of there being a spy thriller sub-genre.
Production and industry context
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 the world
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
Channel 4 presents Walter as a very smart intelligent person. This is by him speaking in avery confident tone in it.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
Channel 4 i think is trying to appeal to the higher educated class. This is by showing the protagonist as a smart person as well.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
'Walter presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age is by having the colours more warm which shows what period the series is in.
Marketing and promotion
Look at the online Channel 4 press pack for Deutschland 83.
1) Read the programme information from the press pack. How does the programme information seek to interest a reader from the first paragraph?
By showing how much the figures of the audience has increased.
2) What does the programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are?
3) Read the press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
Anna Winger had her research and did a little bit more. This helped her come up with the idea of sa successful TV drama.
4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
This is because at that period of time music was a big thing Like a trend. So by having certain selected music to attract an audience.
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?
It shows the genre of the TV drama which may be historical as he is clearly wearing an army attire.
2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?
There is a review at the bottom of the UK DVD cover clearly showing the genre and it is a 'gripping' story line as said by the review.
3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
It is very eye catching with the bright neon colours. Which clearly will attract an audience.
4) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
This could be because of maybe different people will be attracted to different things when living in a different community.
Deutschland 83 Notes from the scenes
Scene 1- The garden/ BBQ scenes- one in East Germany and one in West Germany
4:58-8:20 and 34:00-37:20
Technical codes- particularly mise-en-scene
East side-garden scene:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
Daily Telegraph review
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?
Deutschland 83 is that the storyline is very 'gripping', 'serious thriller driven by jeopardy and wry humour' and 'Deutschland 83 has wowed the world – pity the Germans don’t like it'.
2) What criticisms are made of the show?
The show may 'occasionally lack drama'. That the show 'backtracks into stereotype'.
3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?
The telegraph 'period feel was heightened with snatches of news footage of Erich Honecker, the East German leader'. This then created a sense of realism.
4) 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?
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?
Jonas Nay says that he values his "freedom and mobility".
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!)
That they may be trying to attract a German audience to create more awareness of the film.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
Politics is handled differently in each country so they may want a German perspective of how the German politics is.
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) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83 - what does the clip offer viewers?
Deutschland 83 should be watched because "it's fun" and "super interesting".
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
This makes it appealing to the older and the younger generation.
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
"Fast-paced and action packed".
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?
To give the audience the feel that they are actually there within the scene.
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
A lot because this gives the audience the feel that they are present there at that time period.
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
It would create a sense of realism.
Textual analysis: trailer
1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.
This is effective because what this does is that this creates a sense of suspense for the audience. This is by the use of the tension building music in the trailer. Which would attract their audience as this also creates a sense of suspense between the west and the east side.
2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
One of the pleasure's suggested is surveillance as there is a lot of as in some of the scenes it seems like the character is being watched which creates the sense of the surveillance.
3) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
The trailer uses action and enigma codes to create the tension in this TV drama. In one of the scene the character is holding a prop which is a gun this suggests that there maybe death in this TV drama of one or more people.
4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).
One of the shot would be when you can see the timer counting downwards and reaches 0. Another shot could be when the protagonist is trying to open the lock with a pin. A third shot could be when the protagonist jumps from a very high building. All of these create the sense of there being a spy thriller sub-genre.
Production and industry context
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 the world
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
Channel 4 presents Walter as a very smart intelligent person. This is by him speaking in avery confident tone in it.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
Channel 4 i think is trying to appeal to the higher educated class. This is by showing the protagonist as a smart person as well.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
'Walter presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age is by having the colours more warm which shows what period the series is in.
Marketing and promotion
Look at the online Channel 4 press pack for Deutschland 83.
1) Read the programme information from the press pack. How does the programme information seek to interest a reader from the first paragraph?
By showing how much the figures of the audience has increased.
2) What does the programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are?
Anna Winger had her research and did a little bit more. This helped her come up with the idea of sa successful TV drama.
4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
This is because at that period of time music was a big thing Like a trend. So by having certain selected music to attract an audience.
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?
It shows the genre of the TV drama which may be historical as he is clearly wearing an army attire.
2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?
There is a review at the bottom of the UK DVD cover clearly showing the genre and it is a 'gripping' story line as said by the review.
3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
It is very eye catching with the bright neon colours. Which clearly will attract an audience.
4) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
This could be because of maybe different people will be attracted to different things when living in a different community.
Deutschland 83 Notes from the scenes
Scene 1- The garden/ BBQ scenes- one in East Germany and one in West Germany
4:58-8:20 and 34:00-37:20
Technical codes- particularly mise-en-scene
East side-garden scene:
- Communism side.
- Family is very happy. Together.
- The lady smoking shows that it is once again communism area.
- Male and female are seen equal.
- Period drama: 1980s
- West German pop song played in East side:Youth culture- Soft power.
- Coffee that aunty gave to her sister was from West Germany.
- Western consumer goods: Nescafé.
- Austerity:food shortage shows the communism side one again.
- Gritty, run-down buildings
- Drinking/Smoking seen normal.
- Handheld camera -Cinematography creates a sense of personal identity.
- Costume shows he is in the military.
- Does not engage politically with aunty.
- Most young people are not interested in politics.
West Side-BBQ scene:
- House is very big and bright colours.
- Professional attires.
- Wine/Food shows wealth and the prosperity in the west side.
- Privileged kids
- Privilige vs exploitation.
- Powerful in military.
- West: multicultural/multi-racial
- 360 degree camera movement
=surveillance, tension
Scene 2- Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14:30-20:25
- Point of view shop to suggest wealth when Chandelier is shown.
- Music is tense at the beginning.
- Clothes are western.
- Nostalgia.
- When he starts to run. Music speeds up.
- Bribery being shown.
Scene 3
- Fast pace helps the story move along.
- The long shot used gives the sense of the place and what is going on around the protagonist.
- Montage editing, jump cuts - compressed narrative /time
- Binary opposition
- Voice-over anchor what we are seeing to communicate with the audience more effectively.
- Non-diegetic sound (80s sound track being played)
- Intertextuality- James Bond- spy genre
Scene 4
- Heavy breathing (connoting heartbeat) built up tension- Non-diegetic.
- Facial expression tense.
- Close up made audience feel like they are in his position.
- Foley sound.
- High shots almost made to look like surveillance
- Trough the blinds built up suspense- Voyeurism.
- Audience identification.
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