Series 3 Episode 1
- Series 1 began with a body found half way between Sweden and Denmark on the Oresund Bridge linking Malmo to Copenhagen.
- Series 2 ended with the main character Saga turning in her partner Martin for murdering the man who killed his son
- Series 3 Ep1: When a prominent Danish gender campaigner is found murdered in Miami, Swedish detective Saga Noren is assigned a new Danish colleague to help with the investigation, but their relationship does not get off to a good start with feelings still running high about her involvement in sending previous Danish partner to jail for murder.
The Bridge is an international TV show, it was aired on the BBC although it was not originally made by them.
Television as a Global Industry- Text book pg 173
Television as a Global Industry
What is meant by Globalisation?
The international context in which television programmes are produced
What is meant by Global reach?
The international popularity of genres such as Nordic noir (the 3rd season of The Bridge was shown in over 150 countries). The global reach of Netflix is now available in every country except from Syria, North Korea and Crimea.
The rise of Non-English-Language programming on British television
Which British channels are at the forefront of broadcasting NELP?
The BBC and Channel 4 have been the forefront for the trend
Which channel is considered the home of Nordic noir? Why is this?
BBC 4 as it has become increasingly prominent in recent years, programmes such as The Killing, The Bridge and Modus have become a part of the brands identity.
The rise of international Co-Productions
What are international coproductions?
They are international production companies from different countries that are working together for a particular production.
How was The Bridge financed?
They received support from several European public service broadcasters, including Sweden’s SVT, Denmark’s DR, Germany’s ZDF and Norway’s NRK.
How might the quality of this type of production be enhanced?
The cost of the co-production can be shared between the different parties involved. Without this collaborative approach to production, many projects would not have the funding to get off the ground. They also have bigger budgets to work with.
Economic Context- Text book pg 174-175
How was the 3rd season of The Bridge funded?
They received funding from the Copenhagen Film Fund-(a Danish organisation that provides funding and support for film and television projects in the Capital Region of the country), the Ystad-Osterlen Filmford -(A Swedish organisation that provides funding and television projects in the Ystad-Osterlen region of the country) and Film i Skane- (A Swedish organisation that provides funding and support for film and television projects in the Skane region of the country._
What is the European Unions Creative Europe programme?
They provide grants for support to the production and distribution of European television products. This is done through the MEDIA sub-programme, which is part of the EU’s ‘Creative Europe’ programme.
What must a production do in order to qualify for this type of funding?
Cultural Industries Theory- David Hesmondhalgh
Minimise risk and Maximise Audiences= Maximise Profit
Therefore media texts tend to be more generic and less creative
- Is maximising audiences of equal importance to all TV companies?
- Do some TV companies cater for more niche audiences?
- Is there less pressure on PSB’s to maximise audiences? Are they more able to take risks?
Regulation of TV: Livingstone and Lunt’s Theory- page 179-9
Who regulates TV in the UK?
Ofcom
What are their obligations to citizens?
Attempts to further of the citizens by protecting viewers from offensive or harmful and protecting people from unfair treatment and ensuring that their privacy is not invaded.
How do they attempt to further the interests of consumers?
Ofcom ensures that TV services are provided by a range of different organisations and ensuring that a wide range of high-quality programmes are provided which appeal to a range of tastes and interests.
What effect has globalisation had on the regulation of TV?
the Communications Act 2003 saw a significant shift towards deregulation as it liberalised media ownership rules in order to attract more investment in British markets. This meant it is easier for companies to compete in the global marketplace. Yet the relaxation of rules regarding ownership placed more power in the hands of major companies and removed some of the protection that regulation offers to citizens.
What is Film Noir?
Using RESISTS:
- Reoccurring scenes
- Elements of narrative
- Stock characters
- Iconography
- Setting
- Themes
- Style
Notes from the video:
- Protagonist often seen as detectives
- Noir- defined by the fall of a character- example Sunset Boulevard, involves forced into a situation, it also involves the downfall of the protagonist
- Often female protagonist
- Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Notorious’, focusing on twists and turns out to be by manipulation
- Reflecting the time period, lots of 40/50s involved references to the war
- ‘Ministry of Fear’, unwillingly being pulled into a situation
- ‘Chinatown’, references government corruption and politics, a reflection at the time and the effects of war
- Post 50s referred to as Neo Noir, Retro-Noir is the
Recurring Situations
- Use of flashbacks
- Voiceover
- Ending often negative for protagonist
Elements of narrative
- Complex narrative and convoluted plot
Stock Characters
- Sexually attractive femme fatale
- Disillusioned, flawed anti-hero (detective), often with a mysterious past
Iconography
- Shadows, Blinds, Cigarettes, Neon, Rain, Alleways, Trenchcoats and Trilby
Setting
- Claustrophobic and menacing setting; closed frames connote entrapment; canted angles suggest a world gone awry
Themes
- Moral decline and ambiguity
- Themes of corruptions, greed, obsession, duality, isolation
Style
- Cynical, pessimistic, tone and mood
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