The basic conventions of TV drama

The basic conventions of TV drama revolve around:

• Characters
• Narrative - how, when and why character's stories are told, shown or discovered
• Sets and setting (the basics of mise-en-scene)
• Camerawork
• Dialogue, sound, music

These basic conventions are used by producers and perceived by audiences. It's amazing how much we already know about the codes and conventions of TV drama

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When looking closely at TV drama, some ideas and theoretical perspectives will emerge.

These ideas and perspectives should increase your understanding and appreciation of the ways in which different TV dramas are constructed.

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Theoretical perspectives of TV drama:

• Character roles (some basic reference to Propp's character theory); 

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• Character oppositions (Levi-Strauss and binary opposites) 

• Representational issues - particularly representations of gender, race, place, ethnicity, class, sexuality, disability,age

How are young people represented in Skins? 

Is it fair and accurate?

TV Drama characters are constructed

The characters in TV Drama are not real; they are constructions represented onscreen.

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The TV Drama characters are made to be believable through a combination of:

• Casting
• Performance
• Screenplay
• Direction

The more skillful the construction and performance, the more emotionally engaging the drama.

Active Research Task:

Investigate the TV Drama output of our major channels:

BBC1 & BBC2

ITV

C4

List some of the major dramas;

List the genre (hospital drama, cop drama, period drama etc);

What themes does each drama deal with?

Any comments on the look or feel of the drama - e.g. budget, production values, camera work;

Who is the target audience for each TV Drama?

How are young people represented in:

How do aspects of mise-en-scene reinforce this representation?

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How are working class families represented in:

How do aspects of mise-en-scene reinforce this representation?

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Choose a TV drama that you know really well.

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List the main characters 

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State how the characters function within the TV drama - what is his/her role? What does he/she do?

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Are there any binary opposites within your TV drama?

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Are these character types typical of the genre you have chosen?

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As well as character roles and representation, you also need to consider:

• How narratives are constructed - the role of editing, audience positioning, Todorov's ideas about narrative and Robin Nelson's idea of 'flexi-narrative' 

• The way mise-en-scene is created and its connotations

• Generic dialogue, music and sound

• Icons of particular genres and subgenres (including stars)

• Institutional issues - the significance of TV drama to broadcasting organisations

• Audience issues and audience pleasures - why do we watch TV drama?