TV: Capital case study

 Read the following review and feature on Capital:

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?
Its more complex and confusing than other bad shows. A good portrait of London
2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
Its similarity to todays life, how inflation is causing an increase in housing prices.

Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for Capital:



1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
Through the use of multiple close ups on the different characters to give an in depth look at their genuine emotion towards the state of their living conditions in London. Also the use of many background shots that highlight the life of the London streets.

2) How does the trailer introduce the different narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
The zooms on the different characters could be highlighting their different problems and stories that will be expanded upon.

Capital in Media Magazine

Issue 83 of Media Magazine has a feature exploring Capital as a media product. Read ‘We Want What You Have’ in MM83  (p10). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the 'state of the nation' genre and how Capital is an example of this?

How the characters highlight the state of the nation aspects, wit the different lifestyles, how Petunia is an asylum seeker

2) What does the article suggest regarding the setting of Capital?

Could enrage some Londoners as its too London centric.

3) What are the major themes in Capital and what does the article suggest regarding the impact of money on communities?

Economic security and income. exploration of housing and house prices Immigration is explored through the character of Zimbabwean-born traffic warden, Quintana. money is breaking up the community and, by extension, breaking up social bonds up and down the country. The opening sequence foregrounds this sense of disharmony.

4) What different representations in Capital are discussed in the article?

The weak but wealthy, the struggling, the elderly, the stable family

5) What does the final section of the article suggest regarding genre and overall message of the drama?  

Capital Media Factsheet

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #194 on Capital (BBC TV Drama). 

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does the factsheet say about the characters on the first page?

Represent a whole country

2) Focusing on the industrial contexts, how does Capital help the BBC meet its obligations as a public service broadcaster?

To help with educational aspect of life in London that teaches people how to react and live.

3) What do we learn about the ownership structure for production company Kudos? 

Produced by Kudos film and television for channel 4.

4) How can David Hesmondhalgh's ideas in The Cultural Industries be linked to Capital and Kudos? 

Horizontally integrated so is a part of many industries that they aren't specialised in and so are at risk of losing money and links o Hesmondhalghs idea of a risky venture and is involved in FOX and News Corps.

5) How does the factsheet suggest Capital meets the genre conventions of crime and social realism?

Contains heavy development between both genres of crime and social realism, immigration and inflation.

6) How does the factsheet analyse the DVD packaging and what this communicates to the audience?

The dvd layout for the promotional image is the same as all other promotional material made for the show. This tells audiences that they can expect one specific idea instead of many.

7) Look at page 5 of the factsheet. Choose one of the audience theories in the table and apply it to Capital.

Cultivation theory, How the audiences are exposed to what life is like in greater London and how inflation is affecting everyone.

8) What does the factsheet suggest regarding binary oppositions in Capital?  

The differences of quality of life on the road, The family house compared to the lonely house with only one person.

Representations: close-textual analysis

Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and asylum seekers to capitalism and inequality. You need to be able to confidently discuss these issues in the context of 2015 London - with reference to key scenes from episode 1. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, capitalism, aging and more.

These notes from a lesson analysing these clips will help with this element of the case study. You'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document.

1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49

• Kamal family very close-knit 
• House prices 'not real millionaires' 2.75 million
• conservative views
• immigration
• old age - loneliness
• 'Albert wasn't much for change'
• camera shots of house changing - social mobility
• Bird eye view of London (drone shot) power
• gentrification - integration
• Gender roles in family
• family dynamic (traditional)
• middle class

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10

• Banker rivalry
• all about money -working for foreigner
• 'no need to over-elaborate on the terminology' - incompetency of seniors
• German Boss
• Overcrowding - London tube/ commute OTS
• Rush
• Financial building drone shot - power
• all white men in meeting
• lack of female representation

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35

• weekend house - Out of touch - 1 million spent before even gotten
• wife cares only for money - white and wealthy
• expectation for roger to make money - reinforces traditional roles
• 'I'm no feminist' - conservative, left wing ideology

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40

• illegal working
• Austerity
• no asylum for Zimbabwean nationals
• other side of London - overcrowded accommodation - background sounds
• Black female traffic warden
• black female lawyer 
•  contrast to roger and Arabella
• 'its all politics' - 'perhaps I will be lucky' - 'perhaps a little kiss' 

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 

• white men - rogers white privilege 'this isn't how it works' 
• 'Fundamentally not fair'
• 'not a question of greed its justice'
• roger throwing up
• contrast with Kwentina 
• Drone shots - financial district - power
• cross-cutting depressed montage

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

• political ideals
• ambition
• social mobility
• contrast between Arabella and Ahmed
• 'White people have no idea'
• disconnect from modern life
• 'responsibility of providing food'
• corner shop - staple of local life
• close-knit family crowded room
• ideology
• hospitality - coriander

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc. Feel free to use bullet points for each scene - a summary of your notes is fine.

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?

The white stereotype of how they are typically presented as a higher power.

Industries and production 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? What changes of ownership have there been for Kudos? This is an example of conglomerate ownership.
Banijay UK productions, sold to Shine limited in 2006 and acquired by News corps in 2011 and shared 50-50 with Endemol shine studios that then was bought out by Banijay.
2) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced and for which channels? What awards have they won? 

2021 British academy Scotland awards best actress

2020 writers guild of great Britain award best long form TV drama

2021 Venice TV best comedy

2020 Rose D' OR 

Nominee BAFTA TV awards best single drama

2 international Emmy awards best TV movie/ mini series

Nominee for BAFTA TV craft

Nominee RTS craft 2020

Nominee British academy

Then you run - SKY

SAS rogue heroes - BBC + EPIX

Tin star - SKY + Amazon

Code 404 - SKY + NBCU 

Two weeks to live - SKY + HBO max

Grantchester - ITV + PBS

Deep water - ITV

Responsible child - BBC

Dead water fell - Channel 4