Coursework: Summer Project 2023

1) Research: TV crime drama extract analysis 

You need to write a close-textual analysis of six TV crime drama extracts. For each extract, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:


TV crime drama extract 1: Narrative and genre
How is the narrative and the crime drama genre communicated to the audience?
Crime dramas feature a lot of different aspects, the main one being crime and violence, and sometimes drugs.

We can see this from all of the illegal actions that are performed in the show and how in some of them they feature a lot of violence such as fighting, guns, killings and such.

TV crime drama extract 2: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Think CLAMPS.
Costume- In terms of costume, there are two different ways that it conveys the character and their status, Characters who wear suits and sharp clothing are seen to be professional such as mobsters, mafia, hitmen and people such as those professions, we can also connote that they come from a wealthy background.

If the character is wearing street clothing/ casual clothing we can assume that the character is seen to be less professional while being a gangster or drug dealer, we can also connote that they would be poor.

Lastly, the costume that is used in crime drama is police clothing, this connotes how they are an obstacle to the characters in the crime profession and how they are the peacekeepers.

Lighting- Lighting is usually high-key to make it seem more realistic and scenes are seen to be dark to connote the seriousness of the situation.

Actor- Actors in crime dramas are usually used in such as way that they portray their character in a certain way consistently towards the character they are playing, an example would be Gin Carlo Esposito and how his character is seen to be menacing and in a place of high power.

Make-up - In terms of make-up, since the most prevalent theme is violence, there will be a lot of use of blood and bruises.

Props - Props include weapons, guns, drugs, and clothing.

Settings - Usually set in the streets or inside a building depending on the situation, they can have a chase scene or shoot out or just a discussion.

TV crime drama extract 3: Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. E.g. Are close-ups used to show the reaction of key characters to the audience? How are establishing shots used?
In crime dramas we can see that the camera angles mostly utilised are close-ups in which they are used to convey the tension between the characters.

TV crime drama extract 4: Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, number of shots and juxtaposition e.g. eyeline matches. How is editing used to create meanings for the audience?

Editing in Crime dramas is usually made in such as way that they portray 

TV crime drama extract 5: Sound
Analyse both diegetic and non-diegetic sound in the extract - music, dialogue, voiceover, SFX, background or foley sound.
Diegetic: Gunshots, foley, people dialogue

Non-Diegetic: Music/soundtrack for current situation.

You can find a range of TV drama extract examples in this blogpost.

In total, your research notes on your blog will be approximately 1,000 words - bullet points are fine.

2) Planning: TV crime drama concept

TV crime drama

In order to produce a successful crime drama extract, you will need to plan out an overall narrative arc for the whole episode or season of your drama. This may include the main characters in your drama and the narrative conflict driving the main protagonist for example. This overall picture of your crime drama will inform both your TV extract and the TV listings magazine feature.


Your three-minute extract

What will your three-minute extract involve? A chase scene? Dialogue? Disequilibrium? It needs to feature the typical codes and conventions of TV crime drama. Look at the minimum requirements of the brief in order to ensure you plan for everything you need.


Complete this TV crime drama extract pitch template to plan these elements (you can copy the questions into your blog or complete on your own Google Doc and link from your blog) to demonstrate you have planned your video production. 

A Level Media NEA – Brief 1: TV drama extract and TV listings magazine

TV crime drama concept

Our coursework brief requires us to create our own TV drama extract and TV listings magazine for an original crime drama. Plan the following for your video production:

Your new TV drama

Crime drama title: In Lines Of Lies

Tagline: Trust Is A Scarce Commodity

Streaming platform (note brief – streaming service, 12+ audience): Netflix/Amazon

Logline – one sentence that sums up the whole TV drama series and hooks people in (25 words or fewer): An ex-criminal is being hunted for his past actions.

Other successful TV dramas that are similar to yours: Better Call Saul (plot concept wise)

Narrative arc – what happens in the overall series: Protagonist wants to live a normal life again but is still being hunted from his last identity.

Main protagonist – their motivation, conflicts etc.: [Mike Fletcher] wants to back to living a normal life where he isn't wanted by the law any more.

Other characters, their narrative role and their audience appeal:

[Mordecai Heller] The supposed antagonist - the one hunting down [Mike Fletcher].

[Logan Riley] Closest friend of [Mike Fletcher] - the helper in the series

[Virgil Bruno] Helper of [Mr Heller]

[Ivy Rogers] Another Ally of [Mike Fletcher]

[TBC] another ally of [Mike Fletcher]

Target audience for your TV crime drama (note brief – 12+, older youth and adult viewers): age, gender, social class, psychographic groups etc.

 It would be targeted towards and audience of 15+ and appeal to possibly the working class and or enjoyers of crime drama.

Your extract

When would your extract appear in the drama (e.g. season 1 opening scene, cliffhanger scene at end of season finale etc.): Episode 1  -  w/ cliffhanger

Setting (note brief – at least two locations): Inside House, Outside - Rooftop, Road, forest

What will happen in your extract (note brief – identifiable narrative features, crime genre codes and conventions etc.):

It will start with a cold open of the main antagonist implying the death of an interrogation victim in a low light setting.

It will also include a chase scene between the protagonists against the antagonist.

3) Statement of Intent

Write the first draft for your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.

The original AQA brief is here: NEA Student Booklet 2024 submission - brief 1. 

We also strongly recommend you look at our Statement of Intent 2024 questions to consider document too (you'll need to log in with your Greenford Google account to read this).

My series will be called: In Line Of Lies

And the tagline will be: “Trust is a Scarce Commodity”

I intend for my series to be shown to an audience of 15-30 year olds who enjoy a crime drama narrative. 

The series will be shown on Either Netflix or Amazon as their platform consists of those age groups.

In my work I will produce a 3 minute extract of a crime drama with two or more filming locations. For camera work I will use Close-ups/extreme close ups to convey the tension between characters and moments in the extract, Establishing shots to show the setting of the scene, Over the shoulder shots and eye match shots to show a conversation between characters or to reveal what a character has just witnessed, I will also make use of some hand held shots to show how the shakiness of the camera shows panic or an adrenaline rush in a scene happening.

My series will include 6 characters including 2 Antagonists: Mordecai Heller, Virgil Bruno and 4 protagonists/helpers: Mike Fletcher, Logan Riley, Ivy Rogers [TBC].

I will open my work with a cold open with the main antagonist implying the death of a victim in order to find the main character. After that it will cut to the protagonists in their home at their table having a drink and talking about what they are going to do next.

The main plot of the series is that the main protagonist has fled from his previous life of crime and now wants to settle with a new identity, but an assassin has found out about his current life and is hunting him down.