Luther as flawed anti-hero

• Letting the man fall
• Involved in fights
• Still in contact with criminals
• Not a 'stable' state of mind- standing on the edge of buildings
• Makes reference to the devil
• Broke into his ex wives house
• Goes again his boss' orders
  e.g. the case goes over to the anti terrorism team but he continues with it
• Keeps his own evidence to back him uo
• Luther broadcasts an appeal without police officers knowing it is wrong and could get him killed
• Refuses to follow instructions which are for the best
• Puts his own life at risk constantly when it doesnt need to be
• Will not drop a case despite orders
• Threatens to kill Alice which is against his law and his job.

Exam Tips

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

1. Get coloured pencils, fine liner and ruler
2. Make sketches and diagrams where appropriate
3. Dont bring your own prelease into the exam- you will get a clean copy

Tasks:
(Question four) In the production task, it will either be:
   - Storyboard
   - Designing DVD cover
   - A front cover of TV listings magazine
   - Website homepage (BBC Sherlock website will help!)

• Always a 'code and conventions' question
• There will be certain words in the pre-release that are repeated in questions
• Treat question 1 as a debate (Always pretend to have a genuine, desperate need!)
• Question 2/3 will be a pitch
• If a 'successful question' is not there, still add why and justify your opinion
• Your venn diagram is key
• You're expected to be able to talk about 3 different crime dramas in great detail, make sure you know characters, narratives, episodes, settings etc.
• You should have independant shows that you can relate to but detail is not essential
• State similarities between shows
• Relate back to two different theories (See theory post)

Use the term 'proliferation' meaning an increased amount of
e.g.- "Over the last ten years, there has been a proliferation of shows, platforms and channels."

Put attention to...

• Character types
  (know in detail about all main character, what is there vice/flaw- e.g. Luther is too obsessed with his ex wife that it interfers with his work)
• Settings and the importance of the settings
• Know set pieces and iconography
• Know your jargon/terminology
• Write in role!!
• Be passionate about what you're saying
• Make it believable
  (on iplayer/on demand, BBC3 ----> BBC is successful)
• Use a specific audience when creating your own drama
• Rationale- always give your reasons behind things
• Think of other forms of marketing
  (e.g. interactive app available whilst watching the show, Inuniverse marketing e.g. Sherlock and Watsons blog- SOCIAL MEDIA!)

Enigmas of crime dramas

Within the first ten minutes of 'Kidnap and Ransom' I thought of these questions 36 enigmas that questionned me.

• Where is it?
• What significance does the water have?
• Where is he going?
• Who is he?
• Whats in the sack?
• Whys he dropping the sack into the lake?
• What are all the people doing?
• Whos this man?
• 'Its time' -time for what?
• Whats happened to the women?
• Whats going on?
• Why are they tied up?
• Where are they being taken?
• Whos the other man?
• Whos he calling?
• Why didnt he answer the phone?
• What money?
• Whats going on? (Up until the opening sequence)
• Whys the here, it doesnt look like he fits in?
• Who are the two people in bed?
• Why the sudden change of scene?
• Is this a back story?
• Who are the group of people?
• What significance do these people have?
• Why are they getting onto a bus?
• Is the tour guide genuine?
• Why were the family scared?
• Why does he have a gun?
• Whos the woman in he car?
• Why are they shooting?
• What are they shooting/what are they aiming for?
• Whats going to happen to the bus?
• Is anything going to happen to the people on the bus?
• Why are they running?/Being Chased
• Why is his head covered in blood?
• Why are they being held hostage?

Theory

Audience
Uses and Gratifications Theory:
     - Exaplains how we 'use' the media and what 'gratifications' (pleasures) we recieve from it.
     - For information
     - For entertainment
     - For personal identity
     - For personal relationships

Hypodermic Needle Theory:
     - Early theory that suggests we are injected with ideas that we believe to be true

Narrative:
Todorov:
     - 3 parts to a narrative (equilibrium, disruption, resolution)

Propp:
     - States there are the same character types in every narrative (hero, villain, princess, donor, helper etc)

Levi-Staus:
     - States that there are binary opposites in every narrative; there are always conflicts between opposing forces (good/evil)

Barthes:
     - Narratives involve engimas- questions and puzzles that need to be solved by the audience.

Independant Weekly Review: Week 7

CSI: Miami Season 10 Episode 16
'Rest in Pieces'
Before the opening titles, about 6 minutes of the episode were played and these six minutes were crucial and very gripping which kept me wanting to watch the rest of the programme. The murder/crimes get resolved at the end of the programme which allows the audience to keep guessing rhoughout of who the culprit is- this includes the audience to the show even more as they would build relationships with certain characters.

Storyline:  After a man had pulled his way out through under the sand, Horatio and his team begin to search and find themselves a females body which turns out to be the mans girlfriend. They investigate the body more and discover a link with the 'Miami Taunter' who was a man that went round and killed lots of women. Horatio then confronted matriach of the 'killers' family. Whilst on the beach, they see a crab scuttle across the sand which are said to hover over dead bodies, so they start digging and find the skeleton of someone- after investigating this, they discover that it was in fact Vista, the widow of Esteban Navarro, that had killed him and left her son to bury him with his bare hands. She then also killed her son. However, in the time Horatio and his team had come to the conclusion she was the culprit, she had already began to flee the country leaving us on a cliffhanger.

Character Types: Horatio was as he is throughout all the series'. On the right side of the law and persues his job until justice is served. He supports all of his team members and all of them work together to make sure they get the job done.

Iconography:
-Press conference
-Evidence
-Flashbacks
-Multiple Suspects
-Motives & Alibis

Independant Weekly Review: Week 6

Kidnap and Ransom- Series 2 Episode 1
Kidnap and Ransom is a three part drama that was aired onto ITV1, it was a serial drama meaning you have had to watch every episode to understand what was going on. The main action is set in India as a holiday destination however it cuts back to England where the main offices are. The opening title was played 5 minutes into the programme, so the first five minutes were crucial. As I watched it online, I could have easily switched over so they had to make this section, especially, very gripping which is what happened.

Storyline: 
This series follows the work of British Hostage Negotiater Dominic King as he tries to help a bus load of tourists that had visited India. The episode begins with King disposing of a body like form from a small boat in a lake, a flashback then reveals his travels two weeks earlier to Srinagar in Kashmir to negotiate the hostage release of a British family. After the exchange, police interfer which leads to a shooting of one of the negotiators. The two other kidnappers then flee the scene and in a panic, run onto a tour bus and hold it hostage. Dominic then tries to negotiate to allow the tourists to be freed at the same time persuading the police not too shoot. The Indian sniper team then get involved which causes the kidnappers to become more and more aggresive wanting to kill them. However, during negotiations, King realises that one of the tourists is the daugher of the British Foreign Secretary, which changes the stance of the UK government.

 Character Types:
The characters mainly depend on policing, these characters are all very strong and will fight for their word.
Dominic King has a way with words and can talk his way around the kidnappers to get what is best for the tourists but this is his job. He also is very smart and knows just how to get his own way- for example he gets a teammember to send him a photo of the bullet that shot the escapee tourist, this then helped the investigators which allowed him to get his own way of talking to the kidnappers.

Iconography:

• Flashbacks
• Police stations
• Press conferences
• Sniper teams

CSI:Miami Case Studies Sheet

1crime Drama Case Study Sheet Csi

Independant Weekly Review: Week Five

Dexter- Season 1 Episode 1
Dexter is an eponymous crime drama meaning it is named after the main character- Dexter himself. Unlike many crime dramas, Dexter is a criminal himself and in this particular episode kills two criminals. He has a stash in his room with various different slides with blood on which he adds to as the episode continues- this conveys that he is a killer and keeps all the DNA in this folder. Dexter is an american crime drama and is very glossy and glamorous similarly to CSI:Miami as they are both set in the same place.

Storyline: This episode follows the narrative of a serial killer that cuts up body parts but drains the blood from them. As Dexter specialises in investigating blood, his role is limited with this crime so he feels useless. Along the way, Dexter kills two criminals by covering them with cling film and slicing them- which links to how the suspect of the main crime killed his victims; this allows us to question whether it is Dexter? Dexter's sister works for the police team and gets explanations from Dexter and presents them to the team- eg the criminal would have a stolen refrigerated lorry for the bodies to go in. Dexter follows this up and discovers a lorry that he follows to soon see a frozen human head fall out of the back. This is unsolved. Also, there are many different stories surrounding Dexter that I imagine would continue and develop throughout the episodes, in a way making it a serial and series show. For example, his relationships; they are completely irrelevant to the crimes but give us more of an insight to Dexter's crhacater. Character Types: Due to Dexter being a crime scene investigator, he knows all the 'tricks of the trade' and knows how to cover himself up to avoid conviction, this is what allows him to be the good criminal he is. As he works for the police but is a criminal himself, it causes him to be a very devious, sly character that the audience loves to hate.

Iconography: As in all crime dramas there are typical set pieces that constantly appear and make a crime drama what it is, Dexter follows this with the use of:

• Crime scene
• Laboratory
• Interviews
• Back story
• Flashback (to childhood giving reasons to everything)

Narrative

Give examples of opening teasers in the shows youve seen
In the TV industry of today, the opening teasers of the shows are possibly the most important part even if it is just 5 minutes long, due to the fact television today is 'multi-channel' and 'multi-platform'. Multi-platform describes the various different ways people of today can watch television: on phones, catch up, on the internet, on an ipod, on a family television, on a television you have in your room. Poeple are now becoming lazy meaning that they can easily switch off any programme being watched at that time, therefore meaning, the programme must keep the audience hooked! I think the majority of people can say that they have been watching a programme but then turned it over either in an ad break or because they 'got bored' and never went back to it. This is what can happen with crime dramas very easily, hense why it is essential every moment is as gripping as the next. A good example of an opening teaser is in Luther, series 1 episode 2. The very first thing you see is a man laying on the floor and he appears to be dead, two police officers then call for assisstance, as they did so, the 'dead' man got up off of the floor and shot the two police officers. This adds an instant enigma for the audience and pulls them into the programme. Another example of a good

What examples of enigmas have you seen?


How would you describe the quests of the key protagonists of crime drama?

How have shows youve seen used either open or closed narratives?

Setting

How is the setting significant to crime dramas that you have seen?
The setting of a certain crime drama can be very significant and can give you an overall understanding of the crime drama.
        For example: White Chapel. 'White Chapel' is set in White Chapel in the east end of London which is where Jack the Ripper and other well known crimes took place- this instantly adds an element of tension and fear to the drama as it has a historical background. The programme itself is based upon and reflects previous history crimes which the setting links in well to.
        Similarly, the setting of Luther is what, in my opinion, creates the show itself. It is set in the rural part of London so there are various estates and overall looks stereotypically rough and a dodgy area. This allows the programme to experiment more with having different crimes such as murder and robbery etc. In the background, extra details such as graffiti and 'hooded youths' all add to the effect representation of the area- it also creates extra suspicion.
       Sherlock is also filmed in London as Luther is, however it is a completely different area. Sherlock is set around the areas of Baker Street, Westminster etc which are all well known areas of London.  These are all very posh and superior adding to the overall image of the programme. Furthermore, it includes all of the backstreets of London which give it a very edgy, raw style of programme making Sherlock what it is.
      Moving away from London, CSI:Miami is set in, obviously, Miami. It is all very glamorous and glossy which is what is associated with Miami; Florida- a place where families tend to go on holiday, a very happy place and plenty of sunshine 'The Sunshine State'. This is a well known idiom for Miami therefore, it creates an instant contrast because of the crimes being committed there. You wouldn't expect crimes to happen there. It also adds a challenge when trying to solve the crime and find the criminal because everyone looks the same, higher class and superior so typically wouldnt commit these crimes.

Independant Weekly Review: Week Four

Trial and Retribution
'Suspicion- Part one'
There isnt a recent series of Trial and Retribution and this particular episode was orginially aired on the 1st September 2003, however was still as gripping and exciting as modern crime dramas. This was the first part of two so next week, part two will be replayed which will hopefully unvail the answer to the murder.
As it was a 2hour long episode it did get quite boring at times and I think it wouldve worked much better spread out over 4 episodes, each being 1 hour each rather than two 2hour episodes. However, it kept my intrigued so it worked.
The way Trial and Retibution piece together the episodes is very clever and bit by bit you rethink back to something that happened earlier and it suddenly hits you. For example, DCI Roisin Connor was going down the river on a boat, she spots a young girl stood on top of the bridge holding a teddy, 2 seconds later she sees the same girl stood further away, she turns around and the girl on the bridge had gone  yet it would be impossible for her to get to the other place in that short amount of time. This confuses the audience alot yet nothing it thought of it. Later on in the programme, the detectives are at Diane's house and her one child stands at the top of the stairs holding a teddy, then her twin joins her. They were stood exactly as they were at the river- at this moment is when we realise it was then despite the fact you see the twins throughout the episode before hand.

Storyline:
Chief Superintendant Walker and his team is investigating the disappearance of Diane Harwood, mother of two, who had vanished after being seen having an argument with her husband Greg. Diane was clearly a well known and liked woman as throughout the episode there are many people that are concered- some turn into suspects. Diane's husband states that they always argue, and she would return once she'd calmed down which was not the case. Whilst DCI Roisin Connor's team was searching the river, one detective cames across a hand which is a vital piece of evidence. The scientist discovers that the hand belongs to a young woman due to the good skin, little wrinkles, and acrylic nails also, with the red marks that covered the hand they discover it had been frozen which is what helps the team get a motive. They also find several legs of lamb in the river which at first doesn't appeal to them but then come to the conclusion that they could have a link.
DCI Roisin Connor finds herself temporarily working at Walkers station which is when the audience finds out about a back story to the episode- Roisin and Walker used to be in a relationship and now strongly dislike eachother which leads her to be reluctant in accepting there is a link between the two cases. After several eye witnesses, neither team could track her down which is when it becomes apparent that she may be dead and they could be dealing with a murder case. As the forensic evidence builds, it becomes clear that the, what now is a murder, had taken place at their household. The forensic scientists visit the house and add a special spray that goes green if there are traces of blood; one room of the house was then covered in green and a trail leading downstairs to the deep freeze where clearly, the body had been kept, frozen, chopped up and chucked into the river outside their house. The episode then ended after Greg, the opere and the two children had fled from the scene to cover up and escape conviction.

Character Types: Quite often in crime dramas, a family member could be a suspect which is what happens in Trial and Retribution, the husband. Also the oper, she is obviously very close with the family and gives out signals that she knows something but doesnt want too say. She is a very enclosed woman but is sly and devious at heart.
Detective inspector Walker, is a stereotypical detective as he spots every little thing and then brings it up eg- he spots a cigarette in the car at a glance before entering the garage with the oper, the oper leaves, he looks again and its gone where as the other police officer with him didnt notice that. He is very manipulative and sticks to his word if he believes it is right. Despite the fact he stays on side with the law, he also uses his strength to get what he wants- an answer, and has to be told to stop, usually by DCI Roisin Connor which just conveys the passion he has for his job and to get solved case.
Within both teams, there are characters that bounce off of eachother adding humour to the programme which lightens the tension and fear to put the audience at ease.
Iconography:
This episode followed many set pieces of crime dramas such as:
-Questionning
-Eviidence
-The laboratory
-Informing the next of kin
-Press conference
-Investigating a house
-Multiple suspects