Capital: Case study blog tasks

Capital: Case study blog tasks

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

 Peter Bowker and Euros Lyn have adapted and directed Capital excellently. This is specifically talking about how much they have managed to squeeze into one street, one book, and into 3 hours of television while not making it look overwhelmingly positive or negative. The review also praised how each of the characters who might seem terrible on the surface still garner sympathy from the audience due to how well they've been written. This familiarity in the setting and fears of the characters suggests that the representation of London is an authentic one. The criticisms made are that it doesn't cover every aspect of London, although what they have covered was definitely great. I think it also slightly criticised the exaggeration of the rocketing house prices. 

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?

 Through the similarities in rising house prices and even the local shops. The feature  captures modern-day Britain as it realistically portrays the different lives of the financially-sound to the economically-struggling which is to be expected in a capitalist society. The postcards 'WE WANT WHAT YOU HAVE' are perhaps a way of expressing the jealousy of those financially-struggling in such a society where it feels as though you are left to fend for yourself.

Trailers analysis:

1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

The use of crane/ drone shots is used to show the scale of London. this could have also have been used to attract an audience that is interested in series with British culture in it.

2) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?

 The use of casual clothing and nightwear are clothes that you would expect people to wear at home. This is further reinforced by the setting of houses that are highly associated with family. The fact that this is a recurring location for each of the characters helps reinforce the family element of the drama. Additionally, through the use of dim lighting, props (e.g. cutlery, dinner table, food, etc.), and even the happy facial expressions of the actors, the audience can infer that they are having a family dinner together which reinforces the family element of the drama.

3) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?

The trailer introduced a narrative strand of a postcard that is dropped through someone's letterbox by an unknown figure and the message on it is only revealed later on in the trailer reading, 'WE WANT WHAT YOU HAVE'. This is a very ominous message and instantly creates enigma codes of who is sending these messages and why. There was also a hooded figure taking photos of houses which causes the audience to wonder if the person leaving the postcards and the person taking pictures are related, suspicions that are later confirmed as the trailer progresses. When Quentina is detained in a cell this raises enigma codes as to what she's there for, if she'll be released or how long she'll be there for. Near the end of the trailer, a woman was peering out of a window helping to create tension as we don't know what she's looking at. 

Representations: close-textual analysis:

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: 

• Drone shots of London - gets across scale and power of London.Captures a city of 9m people.
• montage sequence -shows gratification of London over the years
• Authentic representation of London: ''Usman isn't going anywhere. He gets vertigo going north of the river.''
• Multicultural representation of family life - Kamal family, Muslims.
• Montage sequence reflects white British lower-middle class life since 1970s.
• Traditional gender roles - Petunia housewife and mother, Albert counting money.
• House prices : £2.75 million for a house in Pepys Road.
• Roger and Quentina - first interaction. Roger's dismissive gesture as he gets in is car.
• Petunia's husband: ''Albert didn't much like change'' - anti-immigration.Shades of Brexit vote to follow in 2016.Links to Gauntlett: generational differences.
• Eastern European builders arriving for work.
• Petunia and aging, mobility issues, breathing.Lonely.''No one would want what I have.'' Foreshadows her narrative - brain tumour.

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10:

• Representation of London commute: 'under the armpit' shot creates authentic feel.
• Drone shot of city, shot in Roger's office. Power and scale of the city.
• Workplace dominated by white men - does not reflect diversity or move towards gender equality.
• 'Bonus season'' Not too dusty in the current climate''.
• Camera shots and editing (eye line matches) show that Roger and Lothar have no idea what Mark is talking about. Reflects banking crisis of 2007/8.
• Another aspect of London immigration -  German banker Lothar.
• Contrasts between young and old - older generation dismissing Mark despite not understanding anything.

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35: 

• Gender: ''I'm no feminist...''
• Transactional nature of Roger and Arabella's relationship.
• ''You'd be suprised by how little a million pounds covers these days.''
• Arabella: ''Which of those aren't absolutely essential?''
• ''It feels like my bonus has already been spent before I've trousered it''

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40:

• Quentina's narrative strand offers sharp contrasts with Roger's London and the power of the financial district.
• These scenes represent the poverty in London to contrast with the wealth.
• Black female human rights lawyer subverts traditional stereotypes of gender and diversity and ethnicity.
• Gender stereotypes reinforced by people trafficker - worst of masculine stereotypes: 'Perhaps a little kiss?' example of patriarchy.
• Quentina is being exploited by criminal people trafficker so she is'not permitted to work'. She is paid £200 for £300 of work.
• Scenes perhaps reinforce the positivity of dignity of work - Quentina takes pride in working hard and audience are positioned to respect and like her as a a character. Conservative government often say  the best way out of poverty is to work.
• Quentina offers a positive representation of asylum seekers and immigration wants to work, wants to contribute to society.
• Reference to 'civil sense cuts' links to 2010 government and austerity policy. Audio codes used to emphasise poverty - sound of loud music, argument, baby's crying etc in Quentina's flat.

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00:

• Roger 'fundamentally not fair', suggesting all his hard work has been for nothing and demands a 'better' bonus.
• 'This isn't how it works.' ' What use is 0 grand to anyone?' Uk average salary is £30k a year so for him it's barely not even a bonus. Technical construction of scene;close up of Roger's hand causes tension, action code. Cross cutting and playing with time communicates shockness by the bonus ( jumping between meeting with Roger's reaction to it): editing speeded for journey home.''Swiss subsidiary.'' Global nature of capitalism.

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55:

• Constant referral to religious terms. Ethnic stereotypes reinforced by owning a corner shop. Fresh coriander in the house.
• Strong female matriarch - mother on video call from Pakistan. Technical construction of scene; mise-en-scene - all packed around the small dinner table together -close knit family. Editing to support this - juxtaposition of close-ups shots, eyeline matches, little glances. Never see Roger's family sat together. Despite the conflict there is real warmth in these characters. Arabella has never set foot into the shop, despite living there. Probably delivered by Waitrose.
• ''Responsibility to provide fair.'' - reinforces capitalist values, than an individual should provide for family.Conservative would agree with this.

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?

It is a stereotype that Pakistanis and Indians run corner shops in London and capital reinforces this with  Ahmed and his family which does make the show seem more realistic despite the fact that this is living up to the stereotype. There is also a stereotype of immigrants being lazy which Quentina subverts as she is a hard-worker who even does overtime. Capital also reinforces stereotypes of middle class white men being in positions of power as Roger and his boss both fit this cliché and is further reinforced as they both stop a younger employee from trying to reach their own high status. 

Industries and production context:

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?

Banijay Group

2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?

It came to international attention with the BAFTA Award-winning spy drama Spooks.

3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?

Kudos have also produced TV dramas such as: Apple Tree Yard; Broadchurch S3, winner of Best Drama Series at the TV Choice Awards and Best Crime Drama 2017 at the National Television Awards 2018; Gunpowder; Tin Star; Troy; Humans S2; The Tunnel: Vengeance; The Boy with the Topknot; Man in an Orange Shirt; Grantchester S3. 

4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer? 

Kudos Productions offer a range of different audience pleasures one of which being entertainment provided through the action scenes present in the showreel which are sure to excite an audience. Another audience pleasure present here could be personal identity as the representation of different races, ethnicity and sexuality are quite vast which means that it is more likely for an audience to connect with one of the characters. 

Marketing and promotion:

1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?

The information on page 3 makes Capital sound interesting to an audience as it praises the cast members for their involvement in previous works which helps the audience to recognise their talents or even the dramas they've played in. The programme information also makes sure to regard Capital as a "critically acclaimed and bestselling novel" which leaves audiences wondering what makes it so good therefore making them interested in Capital itself. 

2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?

The programme information mentions the other shows that the director and producer have worked on as this helps to interest fans of the series to try watching Capital if they liked those other series as they are sure to either be similar plot-wise or in regards to quality if it is worked on by the same person.

3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?

Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama.

4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?

Toby Jones says that the character Roger "isn’t an evil banker, he’s a slightly complacent banker. He’s become used to a certain way of life and has a self-imposed pressure to live that way. He spends a lot of money on things that other people don’t spend money on – for example, fixtures and fittings - but that is normal to him and his wife. He is not totally in charge of his life or his work."

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?

Adeel Akhtar suggests that Capital presents Pepys Road as a manifestation of a lot of things that are slowly happening, socially, economically, and culturally meaning that it isn't too far from the reality of a lot of roads in London and Britain. Adeel Akhtar also suggests that Capital "looks at the idea of a community, and what it means to belong to the community from whatever background you’re from. One of the problems is that some people within a community, such as 11 Ahmed’s brother Usman, feel ostracized from it. They feel like they don’t belong and are on the outside looking in. Capital looks at that concept and also that they are all part of something bigger than themselves."

6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain? 

Shabana Azmi says that Asian representation in Britain has become fairer and more accurate, she also acknowledges that, "there’s awareness that the world is shrinking, and becoming a global village. We are absorbing cultures, and understanding them, or at least trying to understand them within their own paradigms."

7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?

Peter Bowker says that his favourite scenes in the drama are: "[the] Christmas morning where Roger has been abandoned and left to look after his two 15 children"; "the Kamals’ chaotic family meals"; "when Bogdan the Polish builder talks to Matya the Hungarian nanny about the affluent Londoners they are working for".

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?

Derek Wax produced Capital because "the novel really spoke to me as it has a sweeping Dickensian ambition to it, all life in one street. I loved the sense of this big, expansive panorama of life as well as the small details of human behaviour. The whole of London seen through the microcosm of one street. And the characters are so complex, real and believable. Sometimes big ‘state of the nation’ novels use characters to illustrate political points, but Capital is far more subtle and nuanced. John gets inside their heads and allows us to engage with their thoughts and feelings, observes them with insight, humour and humanity, allows the story to breathe." he also says that Capital, "definitely speaks to me about where London and the country is now. The obsession with property, the fact that London house prices have risen extraordinarily, has only intensified the sense of a society of haves and have-nots. Your home becomes the thing by which you are defined at some level, and in Capital we go from Bogdan's bedsit to Petunia's home untouched for 60 years, to Roger and Arabella with their multiple homes and constant refurbishment, which is a fascinating way of entering the psychology of these characters. Everyone’s connection to money is explored but then the novel expands to ask what life’s real value is, and it does this with a very deft, light touch. I’d say the novel is profound but never overtly polemical."

DVD packaging:

1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?

The packaging explicitly states in the top center that Capital is created by the same makers of TV Dramas Humans and Broadchurch. This means that fans of Humans and Broadchurch may watch Capital as it might be similar to their previous works. The packaging also features many of the cast members of Capital who may have been featured in other dramas as well so it is sure to gain the attention of fans who recognise the actors. 

2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?

The design and images of the DVD packaging suggest to the audience that the drama is going to be about what really takes place in the Capital of England, London. This is portrayed through the silhouettes of the London Bridge and other iconic landmarks in London and the images of the characters beneath these landmarks. This is almost suggesting that London is not as it may seem on the surface and that a lot more is going on behind the scenes which are reinforced by the financial struggle the cast members face despite living in the grand capital. 

3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?

Capital uses review quotes like, "insightful and moving... a compelling portrait of modern Britain... terrific" and, "a dazzling, able cast... before you know it, the story has got you gripped...". These quotes help to establish sub-genres of mystery and social realism as there are sure to be enigma codes (applying Barthes' enigma codes) that keep the audience interested along with an accurate representation of London that audiences can either relate to or learn from acting as a source of information (Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications). Additionally, the fact that the cast seems to be a selling point for the show means that we can anticipate that the audience is expected to either build a personal relationship or personal identity (Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications) with the cast members. 

4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?

The DVD packaging offers a diverse representation of London with images of the cast members but also offers an economically thriving environment by showing silhouettes of London's famous landmarks such as the London Bridge and the Gherkin.