- Shows a real representation of London
- Mix of different personalities
- Anonymous story
- Shows society main problems
- "State of the nation"
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?
It represent London to it's truest form. The economy, social problems, the side effects of capitalism. It shows different cultures and lifestyle in a third-person view.
Trailer analysis
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The use of many establishing shots helps sets the pace of the trailer. It introduces the audience to London streets and the whole cast of characters. The use of camerawork makes the trailer focus on the expression of the cast to get the message.
2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
One important aspect of the trailer is the use of costumes. Since all the shots are rushing in fast we can only analyse a few important aspects. We can see that some wear professional, expensive suits, some wear street-wear clothes and some wear uniforms.
3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
The trailer starts with introducing location and characters within the first 10 seconds. Then later showing shots of the letter and a man taking pictures of properties gives a drama vibe. Tension is built even more when characters are screaming and the use of audio is used predominantly in the background.
Episode 1 preview
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
Potential sub-genres we can analyse can be about diversity, society problems, young generation.
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
The conversation between the police officer who is trying to help and the young Pakistani teen. From analysing the convo the teen points many problems that is within the "state-of-nation" drama.
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
From using mise-en-scene we can recognize the location. We can see from how small the checkout counter is, how all of the different diverse range of products is a place and bunched up together. We can immediately recognize that this is a Cornershop.
4) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The clip is putting the audience in the view of the police officer. The producers wants to make the audience capture the emotions of the teen and the convo. They persuade to dislike the police officer even though he is just doing his job and trying to help.
Episode 2 preview
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
First from hearing the initial convo we can analyse that the family has a nanny which can be viewed as a privileged thing to have. We can also see analyse the location with the sleek, clean, marble kitchen with big open spaces, which means they live in a big and expensive house.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
We can see from the clip the relationship with the different characters. There might be some hidden narrative between the nanny and roger, maybe an upcoming affair. It also shows the wife having a poor relationship with the family.
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
The clip positions roger as a likable-character meanwhile the mother is treated as the evil mother.
Representations: close-textual analysis
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
- Diversity of London - importance of immigration to London’s recent history
- Price of houses making Londoners “millionaires”
- £2.75m - crazy price for one house in Pepys Road. “Doctors and bankers”.
- Gentrification of London.
- Great London quote about Usman “Usman isn’t going anywhere - he gets vertigo going north of the river” - presents the Kamal family as proper Londoners as well as immigrants… suggests that immigrants are successfully integrated into London life.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
- Construction of the shot in Roger’s boss’s office emphasises power - view of London through window behind him.
- “Bonus season” - and £75m profit - emphasises the crazy money in banking and therefore the inequality at the heart of London.
- Conversation between Mark and Roger/Lothar (Roger’s boss) shows that the senior men don’t understand their own business. “No need to go too heavy on the terminology Mark”. Reflects the way the finance industry is out of control.
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
- Traditional gender stereotypes and family set up - Roger is main breadwinner, Arabella talking about how to spend the money.
- “You’d be surprised at how little £1m covers these days.” Shows how privileged the richest Londoners are.
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
- Why people come to London - Quentina contrast to Lothar. She is just trying to survive “If I go home I will be killed”.
- Audio and camerawork used to emphasise the difference between rich and poor in London - and create sympathy for Quentina.
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00
- “What use is 30 grand to anybody?” Represents the inequality in London and how out of touch Roger is.
- “It’s not a question of greed, it’s justice”.
- “This isn’t how it works” - such a revealing a quote regarding the power people in finance have and the inbuilt advantage they just expect.
- “Swiss subsidiary” “A genuine loss” - reflects the global nature of capitalism.
- Close-up on Roger’s hand as he gets the bonus letter - fidgety movements show stress and his need for large bonus.
- Slow zoom into Roger as he reads the bonus - connotes the bombshell that he is discovering. Cross cuts to throwing up - playing with narrative sequence.
- Fast-paced editing and timelapse footage when he leaves the office shows he has lost touch with reality, his stress and anxiety and his loss of control.
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55
- Closeness of the Kamal family is such a contrast to Roger and Arabella and their reaction to a 30 grand bonus.
- Mise-en-scene of the dinner table scene - Kamal family all packed around a small dinner table and also including their mother in Pakistan using a video call. In contrast, we never see Roger’s family around a dinner table.
- Although there is an argument at the dinner table, there is also warmth and they come across as a close-knit mostly happy family.
- Representation of race/ethnicity: “White people have no idea!” Shows how out of touch Arabella is compared to most people.
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?
Industries and production context
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
The parent company is called The Banijay Group
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
A TV show called "spooks" helped kudos to gather more audience and attraction.
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
They have made a lot of other drama tv series which amounts up too 800 hours in total. They produced "Apple Tree Yard" and "Broad Church" which won best drama series by TV choice awards and the best crime drama by National Television awards. -Gunpowder, Tin StarTroy, Humans, The Tunnel: Vengeance, The Boy With Topknot, Man In An Orange Shirt, Grantchester, Two Weeks Live, Code 404, Responsible Child, Deadwater Fell, Deep Water
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
Using different innominate quotes helps to intrigue the audience. The showreel showing different productions helps to show the audience the wide range of production they have which can appeal to a vast majority of different audiences.
Marketing and promotion
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
The programme information shows every actor's background and awards. It shows their background and what they are known for from their most famous work. It gives the audience a provision of confidence that the production was made professionally. It also gives a "blurb". This means they give a short descriptive account of the production that includes any type of information to represent the series.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
It shows the skill in every actor, director and producer to reassure the audience that it this series won't dissapoint and was made profesionally.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Captial was commissioned by Chalotte Moore of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
Toby describes Roger as not of an "evil banker" but instead a complacent banker. He is a well educated, functioning human but he can't control his life or his work. Roger spends too much money on things that normal poeple don't spend on. But thats the norm for him and his wife. Toby was attracted to the role of Roger because of the way Roger changes through out the story. There is something that Roger was feeling inside but can't express, but later on the realization gets closer and closer.
5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?
Akhtar explains that there is a lot of crossroads between socially, economically and culturally problems in our society. Pepys road is a manifestation of all those and shows a cleared side of those problems.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
She aggres that Capital gives a fair representation in Britian of today's society. She refers that there is a lot of awarness in Capital, that Capital did a good job to absorb different cultures and understanding them.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
Bowker had a couple of favourite moments from the book which he tried to make sure to be in the adaptation. One of his favourite scene is the scene with Roger in christmas morning. Where Roger is left alone to take care of his two children. Bowker liked this scene because it shows the turning point of Roger, where he finalize has the realiziation of the undirected life of his.
8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?
Wax likes the idea of "all life in one street". Having different type of people, cultures and personality's all compacted into on story. Wax wanted all of London into "microcosm" to explore the "state of the nation" problem, political points and illistrations.
DVD packaging
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
It helps to give confidence to the audience. It promotes the idea of having experience which reassures the audience and boosts promotions. It also attracts audience which has watched those TV dramas.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
The black lined picture of London immediatly gives a vague idea of what the audience are looking for. The bright yellow with big capitals of CAPITAL helps spot it out from a crowd as well. But also all the character staring at the camera can imitade the audience, which has a drama idea back to it.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
Promotion is key for physical copies os TV series. Using acclaimed reviews not only helps with promotion but gives insurance for the audience that they picked the right drama series to bring back home and watch. Not only that, but reviews are also a key factor of introducing a vague idea of the narrative and what's to come.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
The image of London if focused closely shows the different locations of what these characteres personality are based on. We can see the gherkin which is for Roger busy life as a banker, We can also see London Tower bridge and maybe the buckinham palace which represents the police force, But also see a figure of a mosque and maybe a church which can represent the Kamal family.
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