TV: Capital case study
Reviews and features
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?
In the article they say "It’s not just a brilliant allegorical portrait of London. There are stories to tell" and they say how they compressed the book into 3 hours.
However they say that not the entirety of London has been captured in this series.
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?
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?
The article shows that the TV adaptation is set in present day and that it will ring true to a lot of Londoners. They also say that it is way more that what it actually sounds like as it shows how "London's economy affects us all" .
Trailer analysis
Watch the trailer for Capital:
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The camera is very focus on above the waist line in which they can capture the actor's facial expressions, they will further capture their faces using close ups, extreme close up. Establishing shots are also used, but are mostly used to show the location of where the episode is taking place in.
2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
The locations in which they are in are mostly in houses and work places, the clothing that is worn is mostly a "casual-stay-at-home" clothing such as robes and pyjamas.
3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
We can constantly see the man taking pictures of the houses in the night and the mail having some significance as the same letter of "we want what you have" is always seen. We can also see that one of the characters have been put in jail and that the husband and wife are fighting from how they are shouting at each other.
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.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
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?
He says the the complexity of the characters allow them to be relatable towards the audience as they show the small signs of human behaviour. He says that it shows how now days people are becoming more obsessed with property and how people will define you by how your home looks and the value of your home will make it so that people can identify how much you make.
DVD packaging
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
The style of the packaging is like photos that have been taken and have been stuck on a wall as if someone if planning something against them.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
All of the actor's faces are all shot in a close-up shot with most of them having a serious facial expression.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
They show how the cast really carry the story along with them as they face different problems which would otherwise be related to who they are.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
Watch the trailer for Capital:
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The camera is very focus on above the waist line in which they can capture the actor's facial expressions, they will further capture their faces using close ups, extreme close up. Establishing shots are also used, but are mostly used to show the location of where the episode is taking place in.
2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
The locations in which they are in are mostly in houses and work places, the clothing that is worn is mostly a "casual-stay-at-home" clothing such as robes and pyjamas.
3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
We can constantly see the man taking pictures of the houses in the night and the mail having some significance as the same letter of "we want what you have" is always seen. We can also see that one of the characters have been put in jail and that the husband and wife are fighting from how they are shouting at each other.
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
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
It shows the old woman and flashbacks to when she was younger and how she had grown up on that street her entire life and now that the world is changing she is still stuck to her traditional views such as not being as supportive of immigrants and other races.
Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10
It shows how the woman is the "stay-at-home" person in the family while the husband goes out and works to make money for the family. In the office majority of the people are white men which reinforces the office worker stereotype.
Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35
Again we can see that Roger is once again the "breadwinner" of the family as he brings in the money for his family, however it also covers how housing in Britain can be a bit finicky and he can see that he says "You'd be surprised how little £1 million can cover these days"
Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40
We can see a black woman lawyer which usually subverts the usual image of the lawyers and we can see that the woman ticket officer seems to be manipulated by another person who controls her pay and where she goes in her spare time.
Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00
We can see again that Roger is once again the "bread winner" in which he is now struggling as he only get's his £30K pay raise in which he did not expect.
We can see again that Roger is once again the "bread winner" in which he is now struggling as he only get's his £30K pay raise in which he did not expect.
Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55
Shows how Arabella's surprise when Kamal give her coriander for free and does not know how to react, this shows how the working class values to help out their neighbours which is a concept which would otherwise seem too alien towards her.
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.
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?
We can see that the shopkeeper is of a Pakistani background in which he owns a shop and a big family, we also have the old woman who is shown a flashback of her entire life up until now and how she has very traditional views on the world such as immigrants.
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?
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.
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?
We can see that the shopkeeper is of a Pakistani background in which he owns a shop and a big family, we also have the old woman who is shown a flashback of her entire life up until now and how she has very traditional views on the world such as immigrants.
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?
Banijay UK
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
They earned a BAFTA for their show: "spooks"
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Then you run
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
They earned a BAFTA for their show: "spooks"
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Then you run
SAS rogue heroes
Code 404
Two weeks to live
Grantchester
Deep water
Responsible child
Deadwater Fell
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
Action, family and crime dramas
Marketing and promotion
Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
When they introduce the letters that have the words "We want what you have" written on them and the mystery behind it.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
It shows that if there are other shows that the audience likes then they will have a higher chance of maybe liking of having a good impression on the show as they see a director they favour.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
He says that he isn't an evil character but a "slightly complacent" character which would be the reason why he spends a lot of money on things that people do not usually spend on.
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?
He talks about despite it being a fictional street, it still captures today's society in London and how over time a lot of things have changed.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
Marketing and promotion
Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
When they introduce the letters that have the words "We want what you have" written on them and the mystery behind it.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
It shows that if there are other shows that the audience likes then they will have a higher chance of maybe liking of having a good impression on the show as they see a director they favour.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
Charlotte Moore
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
He says that he isn't an evil character but a "slightly complacent" character which would be the reason why he spends a lot of money on things that people do not usually spend on.
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?
He talks about despite it being a fictional street, it still captures today's society in London and how over time a lot of things have changed.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
She talks about how it does capture an accurate representation of Asian representations and how she talks about the world shrinking and the awareness of it.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
He talks about how Roger realises his life is changing but the way that the producers put it makes it in a comedic sort of way.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
He talks about how Roger realises his life is changing but the way that the producers put it makes it in a comedic sort of way.
He also likes Kamal's chaotic family meals and Bogdan the Polish builder and how he talks to the Hungarian nanny and the people that they are working for.
He says that capital has a wonderful scale in which it observes the human nature.
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?
He says the the complexity of the characters allow them to be relatable towards the audience as they show the small signs of human behaviour. He says that it shows how now days people are becoming more obsessed with property and how people will define you by how your home looks and the value of your home will make it so that people can identify how much you make.
DVD packaging
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
The style of the packaging is like photos that have been taken and have been stuck on a wall as if someone if planning something against them.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
All of the actor's faces are all shot in a close-up shot with most of them having a serious facial expression.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
They show how the cast really carry the story along with them as they face different problems which would otherwise be related to who they are.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
It shows a diverse amount of people in London and silhouettes of London landmarks.
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