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YEAR 11 GCSE MEDIA STUDIES

REVISION BOOKLET

TV CRIME DRAMA

In the exam you will get 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete 4 questions. We do not yet know what

these questions will be but they will cover the various elements of TV Crime Dramas that we have

covered during the GCSE course.

WHAT COULD THEY ASK YOU ABOUT?

They could ask you to answer a question about anything we have learned about TV Crime

Dramas including the following topics:

Conventions of TV Crime Dramas including describing the genre, typical characters, typical

narrative structure etc (including why these things are used, why the audience like them etc)

Stereotyping and Representation of women, men, heroes, villains, ethnic minorities, and

disabled people in TV Crime Dramas (including the effects on the audience, and why they are

used)

Discuss why TV Crime Dramas are so popular / why people watch them

Discuss why some people criticise TV Crime Dramas (including violent scenes and the effects

on the audience)

Discuss institutions that make TV Crime Dramas including the way they schedule them, the

way they market them etc

Your own idea for an TV Crime Drama series / episode

To design some marketing materials for your own TV Crime Drama show

On the following pages is a breakdown of each of the above bullet points with some ideas for you to

think about. If you get asked any of these questions in the exam you MUST be able to back up your

response with examples from REAL TV Crime Dramas..

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CONVENTIONS OF TV CRIME DRAMA SHOWS INCLUDING TYPICAL CHARACTERS,

TYPICAL STORYLINES ETC

A convention is a “common feature”. Something that makes it identifiable as a TV Crime Drama

show. A bit like an ingredient in a recipe. So for this question you must think about what features

of a programme might tell you it is a TV Crime Drama (what ingredients go in to making a Crime

Drama show)? In this table is a list of common conventions of TV Crime Drama shows. Where there

are blank spaces you should try filling in an example from real crime drama programmes that you

could use in your essay to illustrate your point.

CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERS OF

TV CRIME DRAMAS

(including Vladimir Propp’s Character Ideas)

EXAMPLE YOU COULD USE

FROM A REAL TV CRIME

DRAMA SHOW

HERO – normally geeky, antisocial, very clever, logical, able to solve

cases that other people can’t, often flawed (eg violent, drug addict,

haunted by their past, has nightmares, has evil thoughts, etc). Could

be a policeman, a private detective, a normal person, or even a group

of people etc. Could be a man OR a woman. Their role is to

VILLAIN – The criminal in the show often changes from episode to

episode, has no loyalty to anyone even his criminal associates, often

makes silly mistakes such as leaving DNA behind, often thinks they are

invincible and boasts of the crime. Often confesses at the end and

explains exactly how they committed the crime. They commit crimes

because they want money, power, or revenge. Sometimes the criminal

is someone who has just got caught up in a crime of passion because

they have had a difficult life. The purpose of having a “criminal” in the

show is:

PRINCESS / PRIZE - sometimes a woman / man appears in the show

who is the “prize” for the hero solving the crime. They could be a

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romantic interest for him/her. However often in TV Crime Dramas

there is no princess or if there is, the hero very rarely “gets the girl”

and instead the hero gets some sort of “prize” for solving the case

DISPATCHER – someone who sends the hero on their quest by giving

them the case or telling them about the case. They could be a friend, a

colleague, or more often than not, the chief or the boss of the hero.

DONOR – someone who helps the hero on their quest by giving them

an item, information, clue or advice which will help them to solve the

crime

FALSE HERO – someone who tries to take the credit for the hero’s work

or who seems like a good person but turns out to be bad

VILLAIN’S CRIMINAL ASSOCIATES. They are often quite nasty people

too and are often represented as being quite stupid. Quite often they

will get killed in the course of the episode, sometimes by the villain

themselves as they try and cover up their crime

SIDEKICK / FRIEND OF THE HERO – someone who helps the hero to

solve a crime. They are an important role because they:

LAWYERS / JUDGES – People that work in courtrooms to defend or

prosecute a suspect in a trial

POLICE / FBI - The official people who investigate crimes. The FBI are

more senior than police officers.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS eg pathologist, doctor, CSI – They use the

medical knowledge to help solve crimes. For example a pathologist is

the person that carries out the autopsy on the body to work out how

they died.

WITNESSES – people who might have seen something important. The

hero would interview them to find out if what they had seen might be

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useful

SUSPECTS – someone who the hero thinks might have committed the

crime. The hero would interview them and try and eliminate them as

suspects until he is left with just one. Suspects are important because:

THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERS IN A SHOW IS….

CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

(including Propp’s Ideas and Todorov’s ideas)

EXAMPLE YOU CAN USE FROM A REAL TV

CRIME DRAMA EPISODE

Main character is going about his normal life

(equilibrium).

Some crime dramas start with equilibrium where

everything is normal and happy.

A problem is introduced which needs solving (disruption)

Many crime dramas start with the disruption (the

problem (crime). The reason many crime drama

programmes START with the disruption is:

The hero sets out on his quest to try and solve the crime

(attempt to repair)

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A rule or a warning is given to the hero that they normally

ignore

The hero meets a “donor” that gives them useful

information, or advice that helps them solve the crime

The hero encounters a lot of problems along the way such

as strange clues, aggressive suspects, red herrings etc

The hero solves the crime and confronts the villain

(resolution)

The hero goes home successful and the villain is punished

or brought to justice. (Equilibrium again)

It is important to go back to equilibrium at the end again

because:

_______________________________________________

Some crime dramas have an OPEN NARRATIVE structure

where we know who the killer is at the beginning and the

show follows the law enforcement officers trying to prove

it was them

Some Crime Dramas have a CLOSED NARRATIVE structure

where the show features clues and we only find out the

killer or criminal right at the end

THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURES IN A

SHOW IS….

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CONVENTIONAL SET PIECES (regular parts of the

story)

EXAMPLE YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV

CRIME DRAMAS

A BODY IS DISCOVERED

AUTOPSY IS CARRIED OUT

PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONED

FIST FIGHTS / GUN BATTLES

CAR CHASES

ARREST IS MADE

SUSPECT QUESTIONED

SUSPECT CONFESSES OR GOES TO TRIAL IN A

COURTROOM

ENIGMA AND SUSPENSE – Enigma means “mystery” and

is a phrase used by a man called Roland Barthes. He

thinks that a good story should involve a lot of “enigma”

and suspense to keep the audience guessing about what

happened and who did it. So TV Crime Dramas often

include lots of “unanswered questions” such as who did

it? Why? How? Enigma and suspense are important in

crime dramas because:

_______________________________________________

RED HERRINGS – Red Herring is a phrase used to describe

a clue that leads the hero to temporarily make the wrong

conclusion about who is guilty. For example a fingerprint

might make the police think a particular person

committed the crime for a while but actually it was

someone else and this becomes clear later on. A red

herring is important because:

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CLIFFHANGERS – When something exciting is about to

happen and before it does, the show suddenly goes to an

advert break or the episode ends and you have to wait till

after the break or until the next episode to find out what

is going to happen

Some shows include cliffhangers at the end because:

_______________________________________________

BINARY OPPOSITIONS – a phrase used by a theorist called

Levi-Strauss. Binary Oppositions means “two things that

are total opposites but are linked in some way”. For

example, he thinks stories are filled with binary

oppositions of themes such as Good vs Evil. These themes

can be seen as central to every tv crime drama.

THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL SET PIECES IN A SHOW IS….

1)

2)

CONVENTIONAL STYLE OF FILMING & EDITING EXAMPLES YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV

CRIME DRAMA SHOWS

LOCATIONS – Some locations are commonly found in TV

Crime Dramas such as the interview room, the court room,

the autopsy room or the police squad meeting room.

Wider locations depend on the programme.

City Based Crime Dramas – cities, streets, alleyways,

underground stations, trains, buses, car parks etc

Country Based Crime Dramas – Farms, villages, pubs,

countryside, parks

PROPS / COSTUMES – Guns, Bombs, torches, notepads,

Uniforms, medical instruments

LIGHTING –

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City Based Crime Dramas - Often quite dark and dingy

lighting to create a grimy dangerous feel. Often strange

and unusual lights such as torch lights, UV lights, etc

Country Based Crime Dramas – warm lighting to show the

beautiful countryside

CAMERA WORK –

City Based Crime Dramas - Often handheld shots that are

quite shaky, lots of moving tracking shots so we can follow

car chases and characters etc

Country Based Crime Drams – slow panning shots to allow

us to see the countryside & landscapes

EDITING –

City Based Crime Dramas - Fast paced editing so that the

show is fast paced and creates a feeling of adrenalin for

the audience

Country Based Crime Dramas – Slower editing to create a

sleepy, calm feel

SOUND –

City Based Crime Dramas - Tense, fast and dramatic music

is often used. And the dialogue (words spoken) is often

quick, and filled with police / crime jargon (technical

language) as well as working class slang.

Country Based Crime Dramas – classical and orchestral

music. The dialogue is often polite and formal to show the

middle class characters.

SPECIAL EFFECTS & STUNTS -

City Based Crime Dramas - there are normally lots of

special effects such as impressive graphics, fight

sequences, car chases, gun fights and gory make up that

create an adrenalin rush in the audience. Characters even

use “made up” technology such as virtual reality

computers where the graphics appear in mid air

Country Based Crime Dramas – there are normally very

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few special effects. These dramas rely more on characters

and scripting to develop the story rather than shock tactics

REALISM – A style of filming and editing that is very

“realistic”. This might involve using hand held camera

shots, characters based on real people, cases based on

real cases, real locations (as opposed to sets), realistic

dialogue etc. It makes the drama more “real”.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AMERICAN AND BRITISH TV CRIME DRAMAS

AMERICAN CRIME DRAMAS BRITISH CRIME DRAMAS

High Budgets – high production values

Example:

Low budgets – low production values

Example:

More special effects

Example:

Less special effects, more realistic

Example:

More dramatic moments such as stunts, car

chases, etc

Example:

Less dramatic moments.

Example

Narrative Driven – the shows often revolve

around the crime and special effects

Example:

Character driven – the shows often revolve

around the central character and their

emotions and behaviour

Example:

Higher levels of violence

Example:

Lower levels of violence

Example:

Essay style questions to practise doing in 20 minutes for this topic for revision purposes:

1) Describe what an audience should expect when watching a TV Crime Drama

2) The same sort of characters tend to appear in all TV Crime Drama shows. Explain the

different characters you would expect to encounter in a TV Crime Drama and give examples

from real shows.

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3) How important are the criminals in a TV Crime Drama? Explain your answer using examples

4) What are the 3 most important key types of character in a Crime Drama and what are their

roles in the plot? Why are they important?

5) TV Crime Drama shows all follow a very simple plot. Explain this usual conventional

narrative structure using examples.

6) What are the main conventions of the TV Crime Drama genre?

7) Why do you think crime drama shows follow a particular style of filming?

8) Describe the style of some TV Crime Dramas you have seen

9) What are the main differences between American and British TV Crime Dramas?

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STEREOTYPING AND REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN, MEN, ETHNIC

MINORITIES, DISABLED PEOPLE AND OTHER GROUPS IN TV CRIME DRAMA

SHOWS

Stereotype – an exaggerated view of a type of person based on assumptions about their gender,

age, ethnic group etc. So for example, a stereotypical teenager would be someone who wears a

hoodie, carried a knife, swears at old people, hates school and commits crimes.

Conventional / Stereotypical Representation – A person shown in a stereotypical way. For

example in many TV Crime Dramas, people from ethnic minorities are often shown as being

criminals or bad people.

Unconventional / Non-Stereotypical Representation – A person shown in a non stereotypical way.

For example in many TV Crime Dramas, women are often shown as strong, dominant, clever and

powerful.

TYPE OF PEOPLE WAY THEY ARE OFTEN REPRESENTED IN TV

CRIME DRAMAS

EXAMPLES OF REAL CHARACTERS

YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV

CRIME DRAMAS

MEN Men are often represented in TV Crime Dramas in

a mixture of STEREOTYPICAL and NON

STEREOTYPICAL WAYS. They are sometimes

shown as aggressive, antisocial, and angry which

is stereotypical of men.

As well as this, they are often shown as being

quite weak, quite geeky, and often fail to get the

girl because they know nothing about the

opposite sex which is non-stereotypical of men

WOMEN Women are often represented in TV Crime

Dramas in a NON-STEREOTYPICAL WAY. They are

shown as powerful, dominant, strong, clever, and

easily able to do just as well as men, if not better

ETHNIC

MINORITIES

People from ethnic minorities (eg black, asian,

muslim people) are often represented in TV crime

Dramas in a STEREOTYPICAL WAY. They are

shown in a negative way as bad, aggressive,

involved in crime, terrorism.

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Some say that people from ethnic minorities are

rarely shown in lead roles and if they are included

in the show they are often in “supporting roles” as

part of a team. Most of these ethnic minorities

are black.

There are a FEW lead detectives or heroes who

are from ethnic minorities

Some people argue that some ethnic minorities

are NOT REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime

Dramas. For example, there are virtually NO

Asian, Indian or Chinese characters in TV Crime

Dramas. If they ARE in a show, they are often

shown as being computer experts.

DISABLED PEOPLE Some people argue that disabled people are NOT

REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime Dramas. They

are rarely shown at all on screen. There are only a

small handful of examples of characters in TV

Crime Dramas who have any kind of disability but

not nearly as many as have them in real life.

Characters with physical disabilities eg in a

wheelchair) are rarely shown, but when they are,

they are often shown as being weaker than non

disabled characters. Their disability often gets in

the way of their job.

Characters with sensory disabilities eg deaf, blind

are very rarely shown but when they are, they are

often shown as being weaker than non disabled

characters. Their disability often gets in the way

of their job.

Characters with mental disabilities eg autism,

aspergers are shown more often than other

disabilities. Their disability is often shown as an

advantage to them in terms of solving crimes as it

seems to make them more intelligent or better at

being logical / factual. However they are still

shown as being physically weaker as other

characters and are often limited to office based

roles and are very rarely the characters doing the

physical chase scenes etc.

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SEXUALITY Some people argue that gay, lesbian and bi-sexual

people are NOT REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime

Dramas. They are rarely shown at all on screen.

There have only recently been a couple of main

characters in TV Crime Dramas who have been

gay, lesbian or bi-sexual. If a gay character IS

shown in a crime drama show, they often keep

their sexuality a secret to MOST of their

colleagues. Therefore crime drama tv shows

might suggest to an audience that being gay is

something that should be hidden, or something to

be ashamed of.

CRIMINALS Criminals are often represented as:

Aggressive

Greedy

Sneaky

Misguided

Clever

Stupid

Ethnic Minorities

Have dark pasts with secrets or painful memories

Binary Opposites to the police / detectives

POLICE Police & Detectives are often represented as:

Incompetent (the supporting police officers who

employed the main detective)

Rude

Lonely

White / Middle Class

Binary opposites to the criminals

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Questions to practise doing in 20 minutes for this topic for revision purposes:

1) TV Crime Dramas are often said to contain stereotypical characters. How far do you agree

with this statement? Use examples.

2) Why are stereotypes often used in television programmes? Give examples of characters you

know about and discuss why they might appeal to an audience

3) Discuss how men and women are usually represented differently in TV Crime Dramas

4) Some people say that people from ethnic minorities are often “demonised” in TV Crime

Dramas and portrayed in a negative way. What is your opinion?

5) Women in TV Crime Dramas have often been shown as strong and dominant; however there

are very few CURRENT TV Crime Dramas with women in lead roles. Do you agree? Give

examples to back up your points.

6) Some social groups are under-represented in TV Crime Drama. Do you agree? Discuss,

giving examples.

7) Explain how women, ethnic minorities and disabled people are represented in TV Crime

Dramas

8) What is the difference in the way police and criminals are represented in TV Crime Dramas?

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AUDIENCES

Audience – the people who watch the programme

Target Audience – the people who the show is actually AIMED at

The target audience for TV Crime Dramas will vary from show to show. This might depend on the

time it is shown, the channel it is shown on, the actors that star in it, the topics it covers, the kind of

crime it contains, the style it is shot in, the country it was made it etc..

Socioeconomic Profile – the description of the audience’s education, job and income.

Psychographic Audience Profile – a description of the audience’s lifestyle, attitudes and activities.

For example, the audience psychographic profile of a show may include people who enjoy fast

paced dramatic moments, action and thrills.

Demographic Audience Profile – a description of the audience’s factual information such as their

age, gender, class, marital status etc.

Look at the table below and try to fill in the blank boxes

TV CRIME DRAMA TARGET AUDIENCE REASONS THEY PARTICULARLY

ENJOY IT

24 Socioeconomic profile:

Psychographic Profile:

Demographic Profile:

Hollywood actor in the

lead role

Fast Paced

Lots of action

Murder She Wrote Socioeconomic profile: older

people with jobs as

housewives, pensioners. They

have a relatively high

socioeconomic status as they

will me mainly middle class

rather than working class.

Psychographic Profile:

audiences who enjoy slow

paced drama, comedy

moments, cosy mysteries,

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Demographic Profile: Mostly

women aged 40-60

Luther

Socioeconomic profile:

Psychographic Profile:

Demographic Profile:

Socioeconomic profile:

Psychographic Profile:

Demographic Profile:

Socioeconomic profile:

Psychographic Profile:

Demographic Profile:

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POPULARITY OF TV CRIME DRAMAS

TV Crime Drama shows are very popular with audiences. Below is the list of some of the most

popular and recent successful TV Crime Drama shows:

US SHOWS

CSI

Numb3rs

NCIS

Bones

Dexter

Columbo

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The Mentalist

Criminal Minds

UK SHOWS

Sherlock

Miss Marple

Midsomer Murders

Jonathan Creek

A Touch Of Frost

Inspector Morse

Spooks

Hustle

Luther

If you get asked about the reasons Crime Drama shows are thought to be so popular or why

audiences enjoy them, you should try and include all of the following reasons, using examples of real

films where possible.

REASON AUDIENCES LIKE CRIME DRAMAS EXAMPLE

Enigma – Audiences watch for the mystery of trying to work

out why committed the crime, why they did it, how they did

it etc.

Write down an example of an enigma you

have noticed in a particular show

More Entertaining than real life – the crimes are more

exciting than real crimes, the makers are able to edit out

the boring bits, the paperwork etc

Write down the name of the show which

makes crime seem exciting and entertaining

Thrilling action sequences with adrenalin pumping stunts

and chase sequences

Write down the name of a show which

features thrilling action sequences

Special effects such as gory bodies and wounds which will

shock and excite audiences

Write down a special effect you have seen in

a TV Crime Drama. What show was it in?

Audiences are sadistic – We often enjoy watching bad Write down something bad that happened to

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things happen to other people because it makes us feel

better that our own lives aren’t as bad as theirs and some

say we enjoy watching other people suffer!

characters in a Crime Drama that you have

seen that audiences might have enjoyed

watching. What show was it from?

Allows us to see things we wouldn’t normally see! – In

crime dramas the audience is able to see people they would

never normally get to see eg criminals and police. We get

to see their hidden lives.

Write down an example of a show which

allows us to see the hidden dealings of police

or criminals

Crime Dramas allow us to live vicariously – Audiences

watch the shows and are able to experience emotions and

feelings like fear, danger, dread, that they wouldn’t

normally be able to or want to experience in real life. The

shows also allow us to watch things we couldn’t normally

do, like shootings, chases etc. It allows audiences

experience all these things from the comfort and safety of

their own sofas

Write down the name of a show that allows

us to feel scared and excited

We like justice! – Audiences enjoy seeing that crime

doesn’t pay and that justice is always done. We like the

happy endings where the bad guys get caught and are

punished.

Write down an example of justice being done

in a Crime Drama. What show was it from?

Identity – Often audiences enjoy being able to put

themselves into the shoes of the main characters and

imagine “what would I do in that situation”

Write down an example of a scene in a show

where you think audiences might watch and

wonder what they would do in that situation

Information – We can learn a lot from Crime Dramas about

science, forensics, laws etc. It is important to note that not

all the information given out in Crime Dramas is accurate

and a lot is made up for the show

Write down an example of a scene in a show

where you think the audience might have

learned something

Relationships / Social Interaction – Often we feel like we

have personal relationships with the main characters as

they re-appear every week, and we get to know them. We

find out about their personal lives, their relationships, their

weaknesses. We start to care about them and if our friends

enjoy the same shows we can discuss the show with them

and feel like part of a community of fans

Write down the name of a character from a

show where you think audiences feel very

strongly about the character. Give a reason

why we like them.

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Questions to practise with

1) Discuss the factors that affect who watches particular crime dramas

2) Describe the different audiences of crime drama shows you have watched and explain why

that audience enjoys them

3) Why are some crime dramas popular? Give examples of shows you have watched.

VIOLENCE IN TV CRIME DRAMAS

TV Crime dramas often show violent scenes. Write down a list of 4 violent scenes you have seen, (or

know about) in TV Crime Drama shows

NAME OF SHOW EXAMPLE OF VIOLENT SCENE

SPOOKS Series 1 Episode 2

One of the main characters was killed off by having her hand and then

her head shoved in a pot of boiling oil (essentially deep frying her!)

Some people say that the media affects our behaviour and actions. They think that watching the

violence in these shows may make us more violent in real life, or make us think that violence wasn’t

that bad in real life. Some people called Bandura, Ross and Ross carried out research that showed

that children who viewed violence on screen, were more likely to be violent in real life. Other people

say their research is not valid because, it is impossible to know whether the shows they watched

really did cause the violence, or whether the children they interviewed were influenced in another

way. They also think that because the research was carried out in a laboratory, it isn’t valid because a

laboratory is not like real life and people involved in the research might just have been saying what

the researchers wanted to hear.

Questions to Practise with:

1) Discuss how violent TV Crime Dramas actually are and what effects the violence might

have on an audience

2) Is the violence in TV Crime Dramas realistic?

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INSTITUTIONS – SCHEDULING AND MARKETING

Institution – Another word for company

In the table below, try and fill in what you know about the programmes different channels make

CHANNEL 3 TV CRIME

DRAMAS IT

SHOWS

TYPE OF TV CRIME DRAMA IT

SEEMS TO PREFER (location,

style, type of crime etc)

REASON IT SHOWS

MAINLY THESE TYPES OF

PROGRAMME

BBC 1 Spooks

Luther

New Tricks

Programmes tend to be British,

based mainly in London.

Programmes tend to show

middle and upper class

detectives

ITV

Five & Five

USA

Alibi

Part of UKTV a big British

Network that is owned by

the BBC.

FX

Up to date, recent expensive

shows with big budgets. Mainly

American, mainly made by FOX

TV.

FX is part of the FOX

Network which is a large

successful company. This

means they have a lot of

money to make and show

expensive big budget

shows.

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TECHNIQUES INSTITUTIONS USE TO

ENSURE A PROGRAMME IS SUCCESSFUL

EXAMPLE

Hammocking – a technique of scheduling a

programme between two already popular

programmes in the hope that it too will become

popular.

An example of a TV Crime Drama programme

that has been hammocked between two other

popular programmes is:

The programmes it has been hammocked

between are:

The channel / day these are on is:

Clustering – a technique of scheduling similar

programmes next to each other in the hope that

audiences from other similar shows will watch

your show.

An example of a TV Crime Drama programme

that has been clustered together with other TV

Crime Dramas is:

The TV Crime dramas it has been clustered with

are:

The channel /day these are on is:

Cloning – creating a show that is very similar to

one already successful in the hope it will also be

successful

An example of shows that are VERY similar to

each other on television are CSI and NCIS. Both

feature teams of investigators working in

America, to solve crimes. Some of the characters

are virtually identical and the title is very similar

which may confuse some audiences.

Franchising – creating spin off shows to make

even more money from one idea. For example

another show with the same name, set in

another city with different characters.

An example of a TV Crime Drama show that has

been franchised to create a spin off show is:

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Could also include creating other media products

related to your show. Such as video games, or

apps

An example of a show that has a video game or

app is:

Making use of new technologies – many

audiences are now using new technologies so

institutions HAVE to use them in the marketing of

their programmes to ensure they get the

audience viewing figures. They create websites,

phone apps, downloadable items, facebook

pages, twitter accounts, blogs

Crime drama show with a blog:

Crime Drama show with a Facebook page:

Crime Drama show with a Twitter Account:

Crime Drama show with a phone app:

Other marketing materials - Create a range of

marketing materials such as trailers, posters, DVD

Covers, billboard adverts, magazine adverts, etc

See pages later in the booklet for information on

these...

Watershed – the time at which you can start to show more violence, sex, drug taking, etc in a

programme. Currently 9pm as people believe younger children will be in bed by then.

Deciding when to schedule a programme for is very important. Look at the typical timetable below

for what happens in a home:

6am-8am = kids watching TV, getting ready for school.

8am-3pm = kids at school, mums and older people and unemployed people are at home during the

day. Other adults are at work all day

3pm-6pm = Kids are doing homework, playing games, watching TV. Adults are often still at work.

6pm-8pm = Many adults watch the news, have dinner etc.. Younger children go to bed.

8pm-9pm = Older children stay up and they and adults watch television

9pm-11pm = Most children now in bed. Teenagers and adults watch tv

11pm onwards = Most adults and teens in bed as they have work or school the next day

As the producers of a programme you would be able to suggest to a channel the best time and day to

show your programme on. Now imagine you are making a new Crime Drama show. Using all the

techniques you have read about in the last few pages, what channel, day and time would you suggest

showing the following made up programmes? Why?

The Criminal – Fast paced, high action, show, filmed and set in America, with some violence

and swearing

London Town – Thrilling crime drama show, filmed and set in London, with some violence and

swearing

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Maggie and Sue – Slow paced, country based crime drama about two older women who solve

murders in the local village

Questions to practise with

1) Why is scheduling so important for TV Crime Dramas? Use examples of real shows where

possible.

2) Discuss the factors that producers might consider when deciding when and where to schedule

a new programme. Use examples where possible.

3) What can institutions do to ensure the success of a programme they make?

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PITCHING YOUR IDEA

When replying to the set material, you will have to pitch your own idea for a TV Crime Drama series.

You will only get 20 minutes to do this. Responding in character will get you more marks (eg “Dear

BBC, thank you for your letter, etc”) Make sure you pay attention in the exam to what information

they ask you to include. It is likely to be some of the following information so try and include the

following if they ask you for details of your show.

Title

Target Audience

Main Characters & why they would appeal to an audience

Locations

Style of filming (camera, editing, sound)

Type of crime they will solve

Channel it would be shown on and why, and scheduling information (eg what time it would be

on and why)

Why it will be popular / successful

By the time you get to the exam you MUST have your idea for your TV Crime Drama fully planned out

and be able to do the following:

Reply to letter or email pitching your own idea for your TV Crime Drama in detail including

most of the above information

Draw the poster for a billboard to advertise your programme

Draw a magazine advert to advertise your programme

Draw the DVD cover for your programme

Draw the website design for your programme

Do a storyboard for the opening sequence to your programme

Do a storyboard for the trailer for your programme

Write a script for a scene from your crime drama series

Design the front cover for a TV magazine advertising your programme

Design a page / article from inside a TV magazine reviewing your programme or interviewing

one of the cast etc

Discuss a marketing campaign schedule for your film including a calendar of dates for

different elements eg, release of teaser trailer, publishing of poster etc

You will only get 20 minutes PER question plus some time for checking your work, so it is

important that whatever they ask you to do in the exam, you are able to design it or write it in 20

minutes. PRACTISE THIS!

25

BILLBOARD POSTERS FOR TV SHOWS

MARKETING

MATERIAL

CONVENTIONS OF POSTERS / TEASER POSTERS

POSTER /

TEASER POSTER

Mostly landscape in design to fit on a billboard

Title

Tag Line

Broadcast Date / Time

Channel

Quotes / Reviews

Awards

Actor’s Names

Production Company Logo

Cast appear in centre

Sidekick sometimes appears in the background

Crime colours are often used eg black and red

Check these out for great examples:

26

MAGAZINE ADVERT FOR TV SHOWS

MARKETING

MATERIAL

CONVENTIONS OF POSTERS / TEASER POSTERS

POSTER /

TEASER POSTER

Portrait in design to fit into magazine

Title

Tag Line

Broadcast Date / Time (if it’s a TV episode you’re advertising) or Release date (if it’s

a DVD you’re advertising)

Channel

Quotes / Reviews

Awards

Actor’s Names

Production Company Logo

Cast appear in centre

Sidekick sometimes appears in the background

Crime colours are often used eg black and red

27

WEBSITES

MARKETING

MATERIAL

CONVENTIONS OF WEBSITES

Website Navigation Bar

Embedded Trailer

Photo Gallery

Interviews with Cast & Crew

Behind the Scenes videos

Links to other sites (eg other programmes made by the same company, or other programmes

shown on the same channel)

Title of show

Links to Social Networking Sites (eg Follow us on Twitter, Join our Facebook Group etc)

About the Characters

Episode Guide

Quotes / Reviews

Awards

Competitions

Where and when the next episode can be seen

Links to previous full episodes so viewers can catch up eg BBC i player, 4OD etc

28

29

DVD COVERS DVD COVERS

BACK COVER IMAGES

At least 3 separate images normally feature

on the back cover which tell the audience

about the kinds of things that will happen in

the series and what the best parts will be. They will NOT give away who committed the

crimes

DVD BLURB

The blurb on the back of the

DVD cover introduces the

main character and explains

a little about who they are

It explains about what the

series will be about and gives

an overview of episodes

It drops hints about the

problems the characters

might encounter

Sometimes it might contain a

list of episode titles

SPECIAL FEATURES

DVD’s will often feature special features on the back

cover, normally in a separate box to make them

stand out. Special features might include interviews

with cast or crew, director’s commentary, the

making of the show, features on the stunts or special

effects, outtakes, deleted scenes, trailer, alternate

endings, the pilot episode etc

CREDIT BLOCK

Mostly located in between the blurb and the DVD info,

the credit block is always written in capital letters,

which are quite narrow. Its normally starts with the

production company, is followed by the names of the

stars, and is finished by a selection of important crew

members, and then the producer and director.

DVD INFORMATION

In a separate box at the bottom they ALWAYS have a

table which gives details about the running time,

format, region, aspect ratio, age certificate, bar code

and production company (including logo)

AGE CERTIFICATE

Unlike Film DVD’s the age certificate doesn’t HAVE to

appear on the DVD but often does anyway

QUOTES

A selection of quotes may appear on the DVD cover, both

front and back, giving short snappy descriptions of how

amazing the show is from impressive companies or people eg

The Sun

COLOURS

Consistent use of colours on both

front and back. Its best to stick to

2-3 main colours, all of which are

similar (most common for TV

Crime Dramas as blacks, reds and

whites)

TITLE, TAG LINE & SERIES NO

The title of the TV Show appears

in big bold letters on the DVD

front cover and the tag line

appears in smaller letters near by.

The font will be appropriate for

the type of show it is. The Series

or Season number will appear as

well.

FRONT COVER IMAGE

One main image on the front cover

which shows off the main

characters of the show (especially

if they are famous). The image

should also give a hint about the

location and the fact that crime is

involved using costumes, props,

background etc..

30

EXAMPLE OF A DVD BLURB FOR

THE BACK COVER OF LUTHER

LUTHER

What if your own worst enemy

was your conscience?

Idris Elba (The Wire) stars in this

snappy, electrifying crime series

filled with snappy dialogue and

thrilling plots. On a moral

crusade, too often without the

support of his colleagues, John

Luther is a deeply troubled man,

desperate for justice in a godless

world. Confronting crime in all its

terrible forms, Luther reveals his

capacity for violence as well as his

incredible perceptive skills. As the

stakes get every higher, will Luther

get pulled towards the very edge

of temptation as he hurtles head

first into the criminal world? A

gruelling series where the hunter

might just become the hunted.

What if you were on the Devil’s

side without even knowing it?

You should write something

similar for the back cover of your

show’s DVD

31

TRAILERS

Trailers are designed to be short and engaging, and are there to make an audience want to see your

programme. They do this by always showing the best bits of the episode and leaving the audience

wanting more. They nearly always include the following things:

Institutional information – the channel it is going to be shown on, time etc

Introduction to the main characters – showing us who they are, what type of person they are,

how attractive they are etc..

Introduction to the crime / story – a glimpse of the jobs the characters do, the crimes they

have to solve, looking for clues, interviewing suspects etc

Introduction to location – shows some of the location where the show will be set eg London,

New York

Witty language – Often in the trailer, we see the characters talking to each other in a witty,

funny way. Perhaps some playful banter, some flirting, or some sarcastic insults?

Excitement – including the best scenes from the show, such as the main character getting

angry, chasing suspects, firing a gun, etc. It leaves the audience wanting to watch the whole

episode to find out what happens

Title – the title of the show normally appears right at the end of the trailer along with the time

it is on etc

In the exam if you have to storyboard the trailer, you should aim to complete 10 squares. To get

above a C grade you MUST fill in the editing, sound and shot description boxes too.. (see me for an

example storyboard if you don’t have one).

You should use the codes vo and sfx to make it clear whether it is the voice over man or a sound

effect. For example...

Vo: “Detective Spencer is back in Season 5 of Spencer Investigates.”

SFX: Loud gunshots

Spencer: “Tell me where she is!”

Although in TV trailers it is rare to have a voice over, here are some good phrases for your

voice over man to use on your trailer. You can replace the words in italics with anything you

want.

BBC One Presents... (or any channel for that matter)

From the makers of Sherlock..(or any other good TV Crime Drama)

Comes a crime drama unlike all the rest

Comes a crime drama which will blow your mind

The only person that can solve the crime is Spencer

Winner of a BAFTA for Best New Show

BBC One, Wednesdays, 9pm

32

1

Sound: Dramatic Music

begins

VO: “The city can be a

dangerous place”

6 Close up of Sherlock

examining piece of

glass

Sherlock: “do you

know, I think I just

might have...”

2

Medium Close up of CSI

technician speaking, low

key lighting

CSI: “Who are you?”

7 Medium Long Shot of

Sherlock as windows

explode behind hi.

Music builds to a

crescendo.

VO: This series of

Sherlock is set to be

the most thrilling yet

3

Medium Close up of

Sherlock speaking, low

key lighting

Sherlock: “I’m Sherlock.

The police come to me

when they can’t solve

the crime.”

8 Long Shot of Sherlock

chasing man across

roof tops

Watson: “He’s an odd

man, isn’t he?”

4

Long shot of Sherlock

walking under police

tape

VO: But one man, isn’t

scared of a little danger

Sherlock: I find

murderers for a living

9 Close Up of Sherlock

speaking

Sherlock: “If I can’t

solve it, no one can”

5

Medium shot of Watson

Watson: “So have you

found anything?”

10 Graphic Screen

VO: Sherlock, BBC One

Sunday 9pm. Don’t

Miss Out.

33

OPENING SEQUENCES (CREDIT SEQUENCE)

A TV Crime Drama opening sequence may be one of things you have to design in the exam and

should be done in much the same way as the trailer, using the storyboard sheets and set out in

the same way. In a TV crime drama opening sequence we normally see a crime being

committed or a body being found at the start. This is in order to engage the audience straight

away and keep them on the edge of their seat. Then the credits and music start and then it

goes into the rest of the show.

Normal Structure

1) A body being found or a crime being committed

2) Something shocking eg a close up of the body or someone screaming etc

3) The music starts and the credits begin. The credits consist of

- Shots of the main characters with their names appearing on screen

- Shots of the main locations in the show

- Shots of them doing their jobs eg looking for clues, talking to people (no sound apart

from the music though)

- Crime related images eg footprints, finger prints, bloodstains etc

4) At the end of the credits is the title of the show appearing on screen and the music ends

YOU DO NOT HAVE A VOICE OVER FOR AN OPENING SEQUENCE

See the next page for an example storyboard for an opening sequence storyboard

34

1

Long Shot of woman

finding body on floor

Woman screams

6 Extreme Close Up of

dead body’s eye being

opened by hand in

gloves

2

Dramatic Music Begins

Medium Long shot of

team walking towards

police tape

7 Medium Shot of 3rd

main character Nick

stokes in uniform

holding clue up to the

light

Actor’s name appears

on screen

3

Medium close up of 1

main character Gil

Grisson in lab examining

something under

microscope

Actor’s name appears on

screen

8 Close up of gun being

fired

4

Close up of bullet

exploding through blue

glass

9 Medium Shot of CGI

skeleton being

crushed

5

Close Up of 2nd main

character Catherine

Willows looking at hair

trapped in tweezers

Actor’s name appears on

screen

10 Title Screen featuring

title CSI: on top of

colourful neon

background.

Music comes to a

dramatic finish

35

SCRIPT FOR A SCENE FROM YOUR CRIME DRAMA SERIES

One thing you might get asked to do, is to write a script for a portion of your show. It might be

a script for the opening scene, a dramatic scene, the end, or another part of the show. If you

get this task, you need to ensure you are setting out your script in the way a professional script

would be set out

You need to include the following key things in any script

Name of characters to make it clear who is speaking

Dialogue

Sound Effects

Stage Directions (that explain what the characters should do at that point)

Set Description (to explain key parts of the appearance of the scene at the time)

EXAMPLE SCRIPT

SERIES: SHERLOCK EPISODE: THE BLIND BAKER

Electrical switches. A security man flicks them off

one by one. Lights go out through the upper floors.

INT. MUSEUM - ANTIQUES ROOM. DUSK

SUSAN alone in the gallery. Stoneware models of

Emperors and Guardians all around her. SUSAN opens

the glass cabinet to replace the tea pot. There are

five pots in a row. A label reads ‘ZISHA CEREMONIAL

TEA POTS. HANG ZHOU c1640’.

INT. MUSUEM - STORE ROOM. DUSK

Blackness. A door opens. A crack of light.

Twisted human shapes - limbs and torsos - broken

statues. SUSAN enters, switches on the light. A

store room. No windows. SUSAN goes to a tall

Chinese cabinet and tidies away the tea cloth and the

tray.

SFX: Bang!

A footfall from the shadows make her turn. She looks

round – no-one. She continues... then...

SFX: Bang!

Name of the series and the episode at

the top in capitals

Description

of what is

happening

in the

scene

INT=

Interior

shot. If it

was an

exterior

shot it

would say

EXT. Also

tells us

WHERE it is

set

Name of

characters

in capital

letters

SFX =

Sound

Effects

36

She isn’t alone in there. She calls into the empty

space.

SUSAN

Is that security?

(No answer)

Hello?.

(Nothing)

In the corner: a statue covered loosely with a dust

cloth. The cloth billows about - someone has untied

it. Two pale arms poke out from beneath the cloth.

Why has the statue been untied? SUSAN reaches out

and pulls the cloth away. POV the statue. SUSAN

freezes in horror. Something about the figure

terrifies her. She opens her mouth and screams, but

the scream becomes...

TITLES

EXT. EDDIE'S FLAT. NIGHT

Isle of Dogs. 1am. A taxi pulls up outside an

apartment block... Plush city flats, each with a

private balcony. A man jumps out - EDDIE - early

30’s, chalk pin-stripe suit, red braces. He can only

be a banker. Throws a twenty at the

DRIVER.

TAXI DRIVER

You wanna receipt?

But EDDIE doesn’t stop to reply. He’s is a blind

panic. He rushes up to the apartments, drenched in

sweat, and punches the key pad. Doors open. He bolts

inside.

INT. EDDIE'S FLAT. NIGHT

SFX: Ping!

The elevator doors slide open. 6th floor. EDDIE

rushes out, fumbles for his key and jams it in the

lock.

EDDIE

Come on. Come on.

He gets inside and bolts the door and puts the chain

on. And then he hears something terrifying...

SFX: a drum. A single rhythmic monotone. Tribal.

Menacing.

Dialogue is

centered on

the page, and

always has the

characters

name above it

so we know

who says it

Titles are

identified if

they appear in

the scene

37

TV MAGAZINE FRONT COVER

Having your TV Show featured on the front cover of a famous TV magazine is a great way of

marketing your programme.

The main conventions you should include are:

Title of magazine

Barcode

Price

Date

Other Articles advertised

Website address

Competitions

Slogan for the magazine

Main picture (normally the main character/actor from your show looking at the camera )

Large font writing giving the title of your show and saying something short and fantastic

about it that will make audiences want to buy the magazine to learn more.

38

ARTICLE ABOUT YOUR SHOW IN A MAGAZINE

Getting an article about your show in a magazine is a great way of getting publicity. Articles

could be about the show in general, giving the audience sneak preview of what the series will

be about. It could be a review of the show discussing how good it is. It could be an interview

with the main star and / or director. There could be fact files about the main character. There

could be an overview of episodes etc. A good idea would be to combine a few of these

different elements into one article.

Conventions you should include:

Name of magazine at the top of the page

Page number at the bottom corner of the page

Title of the show

Pictures of the main characters / images from the film with captions

Writing in columns

Colour blocks using the separate off bits of text

Good quotes from the article picked out in a larger font or a different colour

39

40

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

In the exam they might ask you to plan a marketing campaign schedule. This will involve you

showing your “overall” knowledge about marketing materials and television. The best way to

what you are planning, why and when. Here is an example for my made up TV Crime Drama

“The City”.

My marketing campaign

My tv show “The City” is a medium budget UK Based TV Crime Drama set in London which

would be best suited to a slot on a channel like the BBC. Most TV crime drama shows are

marketed by a careful combination of cunning scheduling and promotional materials. I intend

on doing the same thing with my show. I will start of by releasing some teaser posters that will

appear on billboards around London and other areas of the country to interest the audience

and get them thinking about the programme. Then closer to the broadcast of the first episode I

will place full posters in a variety of TV magazines and entertainment publications. Then I will

ensure that my trailer runs on all BBC channels, but obviously more predominantly on BBC One

as that is the channel the show would be appearing on.

When the show actually airs on television, I will ensure that it is scheduled appropriately. I

would like to “hammock” my programme between the National Lottery at 9pm and the Ten

O’Clock News at 10pm because this would encourage viewers of these popular programmes to

watch “The City” as well. Just prior to the programme I would feature the Twitter hashtag

“#TheCity” on the screen to encourage my audience to communicate with each other online,

appealing to younger audiences with an interest in technology and this would also allow us as

producers to see what audiences think of the programme so we could make last minute edits

and changes to future episodes if necessary. After the programme we would show the website

address and would regularly inform audiences of online activities they could take part in to do

with the programme, such as online discussions with the cast, or competitions to win prizes.

This would encourage them to log on to our site.

During the early part of the first series I would schedule my main actor Steve Smith to appear

on several famous chat shows like Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton’s shows where he can

promote the show and attract new fans. As the success of the show grows, I would suggest

releasing an I Phone and I pad app for the show, which has both information about the show as

well as interactive crime solving games that the audience can play. Once we have secured a

dedicated audience and we wish to expand our financial success, I would suggest turning the

idea into a franchise. For this could think about developing a spin off show called “The City:

Manchester” or “The City: Glasgow” which would very similar. These shows would appeal to

audiences living in other regions of the country and could lead to equal success.

41

FINALLY – SOME HINTS AND TIPS FOR THE EXAM

1) Respond to the email / letter in the pre released material IN CHARACTER

2) Make sure you address ALL OF THE POINTS in the pre released material and that your

TV Crime Drama ideas suits what they want!

3) If they ask you anything about TV Crime Drama, make sure you use a RANGE OF

EXAMPLES from real TV Crime Drama shows to back up your answers

4) Make sure you use MEDIA TERMINOLOGY where possible to show your knowledge and

understanding.

5) Make sure you show a good understanding of REPRESENTATION and STEREOTYPES

6) Make sure you show a good understanding of all of the CONVENTIONS of TV Crime

Dramas

7) Make sure you show a good understanding of the AUDIENCES for TV Crime Dramas

8) Make sure you show a good understanding of the INSTITUTIONS that make TV Crime

Dramas and what they do to make them successful including SCHEDULING and

MARKETING

9) Make sure you check your SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION. If you know you want to

mention a specific TV Crime Drama or character in your exam and you don’t know how

to spell the name of the show or the character’s name, make sure you look it up before

the exam!

10) Make sure you TIME YOURSELF so you are not spending more than 20 minutes on each

question. This will make sure you don’t run out of time and give you some time at the

end in order to check your work.

11) Make sure your design work LOOKS LIKE REAL MARKETING PRODUCTS. Eg looks like a

real DVD cover, a real poster etc

12) Make sure your design work SELLS THE PRODUCT to the audience and makes them

WANT to see your TV Show

13) You do NOT HAVE TO COLOUR IN your designs. You will not lose marks if they remain

black & white. So do not spend hours colouring things in when you could be moving on

to another question.

14) To gain more marks, try and ANNOTATE your designs. This means putting some “radial

analysis” comments around the outside of them to explain what you have done and

why.