TV: Deutschland 83 case study
Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:
The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it
1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.
created an irresistible export: a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events. It’s a perfect moment in a near-perfect series.
2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
By focusing the story around Martin Rauch, a young East German border guard going undercover in the west, it doesn’t just make the viewer empathise with a Stasi agent on a human level – in the way The Lives of Others did – it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially existential threat.
3) 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?
"But did anyone else think the last episode was disappointing? All felt a bit rushed and shabby"
"I live in Germany and the locals didn't like it for two reasons: It was riddled with very silly inaccuracies, which were required for the plot to work; and it was on at the same time as the Voice."
"I was happy to enjoy the story as it unfolded, with the constant interruptions from actual news footage grounding it in real events. I loved it."
I can agree with each of the comments. This is because there are moments that feel like a rushed filler for a greater story.
Promotional interview
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
There was no real distinction between east and west as he was born in 1990 and so was just German, they did learn about the cold war but the focus was much more on ww2 but felt that is he had been a 25 year old back in 1983 he would have lived in west Germany as 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!)
It reflects their remit of inspiring change and standing up for diversity as it allows people to understand that this is a foreign tv drama made in Germany with German actors and represents their social, cultural and historical contexts.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the a Channel 4 audience?
It is a completely different story from that of 40 years ago.
Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations
We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.
Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on TV drama. Here's a Google doc we have worked on in past Media lessons on this topic - feel free to use these notes alongside your own. You'll need to use your Greenford Google login to access this.
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
Production and industry contexts
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
UFA Fiction combines UFA production activities in the areas of series & series, TV movies, high-end drama and feature films and has a remarkable portfolio that has had a lasting impact on the German television landscape. Many productions were not only great successes with audiences, but also won numerous German and international TV and film awards, including two International Emmy Awards. Produced shows like - Liebeskummer, Extraklasse, Charolette link.
2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?
A world leader in creating, producing and distributing across entertainment drama, film and documentary content. produced - Too hot to handle, The piano, Got talent and X factor.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
It was written by someone who is not German but produced in Germany and has become a hit in countries like the UK and USA and even then it didn't do so well in Germany itself.
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:
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?
The graffiti on the Berlin wall which connotes a romantic underlying narrative while the slogan and text is much more gripping and obvious to an audience that there will be action and that it is a thriller as suggested by the Walkman Martin is listening to attentively or the fact that there is a duality in the back between East and West.
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
Vibrant colours which are typically associated to grab and hold attention.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
Promotional interview
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
There was no real distinction between east and west as he was born in 1990 and so was just German, they did learn about the cold war but the focus was much more on ww2 but felt that is he had been a 25 year old back in 1983 he would have lived in west Germany as 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!)
It reflects their remit of inspiring change and standing up for diversity as it allows people to understand that this is a foreign tv drama made in Germany with German actors and represents their social, cultural and historical contexts.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the a Channel 4 audience?
It is a completely different story from that of 40 years ago.
Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations
We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.
Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - 360 degree camera movement circling Martin when talking to Edel and his sister created sense that things are closing in on Martin. Huge contrast in mise-en-scene between East and West - two houses. Non-diegetic music used in the West BBQ scene - ominous and threatening
- Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender - Western family (Edel family) is shown to be dysfunctional and unhappy. The BBQ scene feels awkward and forced. Strong contrast in the East German party scene with close family, friends enjoying themselves, relaxed atmosphere.
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - Mise-en-scene - use of colour and costume. Iconic Puma logo red T-shirt as a colourful contrast to the dull East. Supermarket shelves full of colour and stacked high. Almost an example of postmodern art and designed to emphasise the difference between East and West.
- Audio codes – particularly music - Music - Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. Diegetic sound but full of meaning to convey Martin’s first experience of the West. Dialogue on bench - emphasises the positives about the East and the dangers of the West. BUT this scene overall seems to present the West and capitalism in a more positive light.
- Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy - Shot of two policemen eating ice creams is symbolic of the difference between East and West. Several shots emphasise representation of East and West - close-up of chandelier, wide shot of luxurious bedroom etc
- Audience pleasures - Historical reality - Blumler & Katz U&G theory - surveillance. Danger of WW3, reference to Pershing II missiles. Key elements of D83 based on historical fact. Music - 1980s references - nostalgia. Faithful reconstruction of Germany in the 1980s.
Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Fast-paced editing including jump cuts, typical of montage sequence. Split screen / editing / graphics used to emphasise difference between East and West.
- Audio codes - Music and SFX: Non-diegetic sound adds pace to the sequence. Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narrative.
- Audience pleasures - German audience - nostalgia in terms of products and brands. International audience - surveillance (U&G theory) - learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc. Genre pleasures - spy/thriller.
- Intertextuality - Intertextuality - similar to a Bond sequence (particularly with the gadgets)
Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30
Make notes under the following headings:
- Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Close-ups of Martin while picking lock and photographing the documents. Close-ups of the documents themselves - words like highly classified, actual details of the missiles and Ronald Reagan’s signature. These are recreations of real documents from the time - emphasising the historical aspect of the show and the way it is based on real events; positions audience to be on Martin’s side.
- Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound - Non-diegetic sound - music helps convey the tension of the scene and satisfy genre expectations of spy thriller. Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in briefcase. Creates intensity, tension
- Audience pleasures - Blumler & Katz - Uses and Gratifications theory. Surveillance - the use of real documents and genuine moments from history of cold war educates audience about German/American/Russian history. Threat of WW3. Voyeuristic pleasure - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn’t normally have a chance to see.
You will do the majority of this textual analysis work in class - this section of your case study simply requires typing up your notes in an easy and memorable way (bullet points are fine).
Production and industry contexts
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by Fremantle International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around the world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
UFA Fiction combines UFA production activities in the areas of series & series, TV movies, high-end drama and feature films and has a remarkable portfolio that has had a lasting impact on the German television landscape. Many productions were not only great successes with audiences, but also won numerous German and international TV and film awards, including two International Emmy Awards. Produced shows like - Liebeskummer, Extraklasse, Charolette link.
2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?
A world leader in creating, producing and distributing across entertainment drama, film and documentary content. produced - Too hot to handle, The piano, Got talent and X factor.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
It was written by someone who is not German but produced in Germany and has become a hit in countries like the UK and USA and even then it didn't do so well in Germany itself.
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama:
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
A man who loves international TV.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
The likes of those who are interested in a specific genre on a global scale.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
The internet is allowing for the recognition of international works that would have otherwise been in the complete unknown.
Marketing and promotion
Trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
A man who loves international TV.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
The likes of those who are interested in a specific genre on a global scale.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
The internet is allowing for the recognition of international works that would have otherwise been in the complete unknown.
Marketing and promotion
Trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
Diversion - Promises drama, action and even romance
Personal relationship - Put into the position where Martin is set up as the main character with many personal interactions that make us root for him.
Personal Identification - Martin is a young man and so can be relatable to a younger audience as he explores the world be it as a spy more than a normal person.
Surveillance - The show is presented as using historical events to push the narrative but is completely fictional while still teaching about the event/threat of ww3 that it is based off of.
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
Because a trailer is used to send a widespread message, therefore meaning people who may not like subtitles would see it too.
Press pack
Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here).
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
"You know what’s really crazy about that? A lot of people were very anxious at that time, of course, but now we know they should have been terrified. Thomas Lovegrove, a British military historian who worked with us on Deutschland 83, first called our attention to Abel Archer, the NATO manoeuvres in the autumn of 1983 that was misunderstood by the East as a real attack. The Russians prepared to retaliate but came to their senses last minute. At the time that we were developing the show, it was exactly 30 years after it happened, so the first information about Able Archer had just been declassified. There was still a lot of mystery around it, which is great for historical drama. We fictionalised the whole thing and used it as the backdrop for the climax of the series. But just this autumn, much more information about Able Archer was released by the National Security Archives and, well, it turns out that we came very, very close to nuclear war in November 1983."
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
With the use of multiple iconic and catchy songs, more people l are going to be drawn in as they can listen to songs they know and like.
Press release
Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).
1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?
2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
Action - The scenes of explosions, romance and chase scenes/ running makes the audience wonder who Martin is, who's side is he on, and why is he being chased.
Enigma - The ambiguity of Martins character and personality as just being presented as a spy draws in the audience to learn who he is and why is he so important to this story about possible nuclear annihilation.
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?Because a trailer is used to send a widespread message, therefore meaning people who may not like subtitles would see it too.
Press pack
Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here).
1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?
"You know what’s really crazy about that? A lot of people were very anxious at that time, of course, but now we know they should have been terrified. Thomas Lovegrove, a British military historian who worked with us on Deutschland 83, first called our attention to Abel Archer, the NATO manoeuvres in the autumn of 1983 that was misunderstood by the East as a real attack. The Russians prepared to retaliate but came to their senses last minute. At the time that we were developing the show, it was exactly 30 years after it happened, so the first information about Able Archer had just been declassified. There was still a lot of mystery around it, which is great for historical drama. We fictionalised the whole thing and used it as the backdrop for the climax of the series. But just this autumn, much more information about Able Archer was released by the National Security Archives and, well, it turns out that we came very, very close to nuclear war in November 1983."
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
With the use of multiple iconic and catchy songs, more people l are going to be drawn in as they can listen to songs they know and like.
Press release
Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).
1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?
2.5 million views on first episode and is considered the most successful as it has overtaken shows like 'The Returned' which had previously held the record for most views on launch at 2.2 million.
“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.” - TV Times
“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.” - The Guardian
“A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents.” - The Times
“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.” - The Daily Telegraph
“Evocative and gripping.” - The Daily Mail
International marketingLook 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?
The graffiti on the Berlin wall which connotes a romantic underlying narrative while the slogan and text is much more gripping and obvious to an audience that there will be action and that it is a thriller as suggested by the Walkman Martin is listening to attentively or the fact that there is a duality in the back between East and West.
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
Vibrant colours which are typically associated to grab and hold attention.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
The idea of talking about the east and west in Germany, especially when its inaccurate, may make the people of Germany dislike it more substantially.
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