Mad men context

What do the following 3 texts have in common?

AMC is an American cable and satellite television channel. As of August 2013, AMC is received by approximately 97,699,000 American households that subscribe to a pay television service In 2006, AMC started adding original scripted programming.

In 2007, the network debuted its first original drama series Mad Men, a period piece about Madison Avenue advertising executives in the 1960s. The show was immediately lauded by critics and has won 15 Emmy Awards. Then came Breaking Bad, 2008, also to critical acclaim. Walking Dead followed with similar success.

AMC Networks president Ed Carroll believed there was a gap in the TV market, ”we took a bet that quality would win out over formulaic mass appeal.” Mad Men was AMC’s first original program and its success enabled Breaking Bad and Walking Dead to be commissioned.

Mad Men is shot on 35mm film. A decision to help connote realism

AMC originally aimed high quality texts, which did not conform to mainstream convention at a niche audience. AMC audiences must pay for the channel and adverts are also present. Its business plan was to firstly win over the critics and wider promotion will automatically follow. A slower model, but a successful one none the less.

AMC invests a lot into Mad Men. A report placed production cost per episode at $2.5 million. To keep the true 1960s flavor, creator Matthew Weiner felt that a Beatles song was necessary, so the channel paid a cool $250,000 in licensing fees to use “Tomorrow Never Knows” in a season six episode.

Mad Men gives a slower more realistic narrative which requires audience investment. Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead all creates a world that consumes an audience member.

Complex character representations, the breaking of mainstream conventions, alongside advanced cinematography and styalised mise en scene has enabled the text to attract a niche yet cult audience alongside critical acclaim. The show isn't competing with Lost or X factor. It is a niche text with a cult following. It isn't encoded to be inclusive, its high quality programming for a 18-49 demographic. The successful placement of the text on a channel that is now well know for quality and challenging convention has successfully targeted its active audience.

Episode 11 Series 5 - The Other Woman

How do your texts target their audience?

How do your texts target their audience? WJEC say students should…. How do your chosen texts attract their audiences? It is likely that candidates will need to begin by explaining (defining) the target audience for the text/s. Candidates may refer to some of the following points in their answer, 1.  form and structure 2.  Representations of characters 3.  Mode of address (technical conventions) 4.  Placement/scheduling

Some references should be made to theories such as the uses and gratifications theory and to ways in which audiences are attracted to texts.