Deutschland 83: Case Study Blog Tasks

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.

By focusing the story around Martin Rauch, a young East German border guard going undercover in the west, it doesn’t just make the viewer empathise with a Stasi agent on a human level  in the way The Lives of Others did  it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially existential threat.

Deutschland 83’s first episode of eight was the most-watched foreign-language drama in UK history. With the least ambiguous title ever, American-German husband-and-wife team Anna and Joerg Winger created an irresistible export: a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events – crucially, the Nato war game codenamed Able Archer, deliberately misconstrued by a paranoid east as a cover for an actual preemptive strike that almost sparked World War III.

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

According to the essay, by centering the narrative around Martin, the audience is more likely to interact with the socialist regime's worldview as opposed to simply developing a human empathy for a Stasi operative. The myth that Stasi agents are ruthless and utilise extortion to gain political advantage is then highlighted.

3) Find three 'below-the-line comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

1)    Lasiio

Maybe they will dub it into English so the 98% can enjoy it too?Subtitles are exceptionally annoying and pretentious, but not as annoying as hearing German and not understanding it. I managed 2 mins before it become too irritating. I have ears and eyes, and I usually like to use both when watching TV, was it really too hard not to speak English?

2)    BobD777

Deutschland 83 was great, and I also hoped it was a sign of things to come on German TV. "See; Germany can do it". Only then to find out that it was an American writer...

3)    Lastwordsusie

Started well, flagged in the middle, and ended with less Pershing missile and more damp squib.
I'm with the German audience on this. The new Scandi- Noir Drama- "Trapped" in the Saturday 9pm slot on BBC4 is doing its job of making me feel very cold though!

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

He said he enjoyed being unrestricted and free to express himself without being watched or listened to.

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and its target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

They have a predominantly UK based English speaking audience and demographic.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

This attracts the reader and helps them learn about the present political situation in Germany. The typical person viewing Channel 4 news may be interested in current public affairs and the history of affairs which have happened throughout numerous countries.

Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations - DO @ HOME

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene: The use of the behind the shoulder shot and another easily dissected code would be the clear love and respect the soldiers and people that represent their country get and receive.
• Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender: The family is shown as dysfunctional and unpleasant, as well as awkward and pushy. In contrast to the East German side, which has a more easy going attitude. 

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene: Over the shoulder shots and tracking shots create and ethicize meaning. Also creates an intense atmosphere which is shown and portrayed when he dropped it and the camara work highlighted huis nervous expression.
• Audio codes – particularly music: His first encounter of the west is conveyed through music, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These, which is diegetic but rich of meaning but overall appears to portray the West and capitalism in a better more fun light.
• Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy: The western music is clearly shown and highlighted as a key difference to the west and this is inferred that she prefers black music however her family cannot know this because of the restrictions in place.
• Audience pleasures: The threat of WW3 is a reference to Pershing II missiles. The soundtrack from the 1980s provides nostalgia and an accurate reconstruction of the West.

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing: A montage sequence features fast-paced editing with jump cuts. Split screen, editing, and visuals were employed to highlight the differences between the West and the East.
• Audio codes: non diegetic sound and the use if a constant sound bridge from the east to the west really highlights the contrast and difference between the two and it also shows the political aspect as he now understands he is in a socialist area which he is not used to.
• Audience pleasures:  German audience - Brands and products create feelings of nostalgia. International audience, uses and gratification theory - learning about Germany, 1980s devices.
• Intertextuality: Very similar to a James Bond which is based on many of the enigma action codes.

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing: Over-the-shoulder and tracking pictures both produce and ethicalize meaning. Also generates an intense environment, which is shown and represented when he drops it and the camera work emphasises his worried expression.
• Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound: Dietetic soundness Martin's purposefully enhanced breath volume accentuates the espionage thriller genre and tension. The line between fantasy and reality is blurred. East versus. West portrays the West as a threat to the world.
• Audience pleasures: Cold War papers and events informs the audience on the history of Russia, Germany, and America, as well as the threat of WW3. Personal relationships are a powerful moment since the viewer now cares about if martin is successful.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

With a spectacular portfolio of films and TV shows that have significantly altered the German production landscape, UFA Fiction is a German award-winning film and television company and a distinctive leader in the German film and television market. 

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

The RTL group, which is owned by Bertelsmann, is operated by Fremantle, which has created series like Take me out, The X factor, and Hole in the Wall.

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

Deutschland 83 was made by UFA Fiction.

Presents

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

Walter is introduced as a globally acclaimed company that has accumulated a lot of world round success over the years.

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

Due to the variety of genres they include, like coming-of-age, crime and spy thrillers, I think they are aiming their content at teenagers and young adults.

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

Television is evolving to focus more on elderly audiences as younger audiences prefer streaming services.

Marketing and promotion

1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

The trailer gives the sense that the series would be action-packed due to the frequent running and fighting sequence. The preview makes obvious that monitoring is a key area of interest for the audience. which is mainly focused on Cold War related events that occurred in Germany in 1983.

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

There are many action and enigma codes that show explosions and gunshots, but Martin is withholding the photographs he took from us, which is the enigma code.

3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

Potential viewers might have been turned off by the drama's heavy foreign focus in favour of a more approachable western drama because of the language barrier.This would have prevented the trailer from giving viewers instant understanding because it would make the audience uses the scene to understand whats happening not just the dialog.

Press pack

1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?]

As she based the East German main character Martin on her husband while he was serving his West German military service in the 1980s,and this is when Deutschland 83 is set, Anna Winger used historical background and actual events to successfully create drama.

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

For older audiences, these soundtracks are still very well-known and incredibly famous.

Press release

1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?

The show is a part of Walter Presents, a brand-new on-demand service that features the best international drama in the globe.The first episode has now peaked at 2.5 million viewers, breaking the previous record of The Returned on Channel 4, which had 2.2 million viewers. Key elements of the photography framework are clearly shown and the series also features a catchy music that draws viewers in and may even trigger fond memories for them. 

2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?

Wide media loved for the release and it was seen as the greatest show of the year and a sensation.

1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

It portrays the two different contrasts between the East and West and it uses the political diversion as a plot sort of to show the difference between a capitalist run area and socialist run area.

2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

Depending on their age group, the audience may either adore or dislike it. The font's 1980s relation and  the background clearly displays pictures for advertisements that would have been created during World War 1 and 2. The designs and hue are both unusually bland for their type.

3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

There was a massive contrast and difference in the way people lived and both nations have distinct perspectives about it. They each had unique perspectives on how 1983 worked and how people lived.