Half-Term Homework

Discuss the audience appeal of your three main texts [30].

My first television text is J.J. Abram’s ‘Lost’. Lost is a mainstream text and targets a popular and wide spread audience, known as a ‘mainstream audience’. Conventions of this particular text can be seen repeatedly throughout Lost, specifically in the scene where a group of people go for a hike in search for a radio signal. Camera shots like close-ups, high-angles and dutch angles are used along with non-diegetic sound to create enigma codes, which hook the audience into the programme. For example, in the scene where a group of six go for a hike in search for a radio signal, a non-diegetic ‘boom’ sound is heard, the noise exaggerated creating an enigma code as the audience do not know what made this sound, a straight cut to a tracking shot of something moving at a fast pace in the grass. This tracking shot is shot at a dutch angle creating another enigma code as the audience don’t know what animal this is. Fast paced, mid-shots and tracking shots are used to capture five of them running away into the jungle. A mid-shot is used to capture Sawyer (the sixth member of the group) pointing a gun towards this animal, the camera is positioned at a dutch angle creating uncertainty. Shot reverse shot is then used to capture Sawyer shooting towards the animal, then to the beast running towards him and back to Sawyer. Through the use of a close-up and the dialogue it is established that the animal running towards them was a Polar Bear. This is another enigma, as the audience are aware that Polar Bears don’t belong in that climate, leaving the audience questioning the text and becoming more entertained.                                                                                                

Various different enigma codes have been set up for the audience to follow within Lost, which leave the audience questioning the text and also hooking them in to discover the future events within the program. These enigma codes boost the appeal of the show to audiences as they offer a sense of gratification, social integration and entertainment. The mainstream audience who view ‘Lost’ take a passive viewing of the program, this is because, through the dialogue, they’re being told everything which results in the audience sitting back and taking the information that they’re being given without questioning it. An example of this would be in the opening scene of the second episode where a tracking shot is used to follow three characters, Charlie, Kate and Jack, as they walk through the jungle. Through the dialogue you can hear them talk about the plane crash, telling the audience straight away what has happened to them, resulting in a passive audience as they’re being told the action.

As well as through the mise-en-scene and the cinematography the audience appeal is boosted through websites which promote the show. The production company of Lost, ABC, stock Lost merchandise on their website, allowing fans of the show to buy t-shirts, DVDs, toys of the characters and more. As well as the merchandise you can find a section about Lost, linking different biographies of the characters that feature in the different seasons of Lost. Whilst researching I found various blogs dedicated into posting information, pictures and scenes from the Lost seasons. When looking at the articles on fan sites I have found that none of the fans post comments about certain episodes, which confirms the mass audience take the preferred reading and are being passive, not arguing with the different scenarios in Lost. However, the blogs boost the audience appeal to the show as other viewers can visit these sites and research more into the program.

My second text for this section is Mad Men, season 5 episode 11. Mad Men appeals to a niche audience, because the production company and the channel the program is shown on is ‘AMC’ an independent, American cable show. Audiences in Britain would have to subscribe in able to watch the show. The episode received directing and writing nominations at the 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards as well as Lead Actor, Lead Actress and Supporting Actress in a drama series. The episode also received critical acclaim from TV journalists, along with the nominations at the Emmy’s it boosts the audiences appeal to the program as it is shown to be successful. The advertising for season 5 of Mad Men was marketed by Sky Atlantic with the tag line “The four-time Emmy Winner is back” showing more of the audiences appeal as it shows that the program has won awards and has been nominated for them.

Through the mise-en-scene audiences may gain gratification from the program as the attention to detail shows clear representations of 1960s culture. Joan Harris- portrayed by Christina Hendricks- was styled to represent a typical female in the 60s. Her hair style, make-up and the way she dresses is typical to the time period as she has been styled to emphasize her ‘hour-glass figure’, with dresses that were pulled in at the waist; this was a body type women aimed for/ wanted in the 60s.  

“A top-notch episode full of closed-door talks and identity politics,” in Mad Men you can see references to identity politics, which you can also see within Sky Atlantic’s advertisement for the program. A wide shot is used to capture Jon Hamm’s character, Don Draper, looking into what appears (through the mise-en-scene) as a shop window. You can see that it is this character due to the reflection. In the window you can see a display of two mannequins, one male and one female. The male has been constructed to sit down, fully clothes on an old fashioned chair. The woman in the shot has no clothes on and has been constructed to represent women as sexual objects for male pleasure. The female mannequin is captured standing on a slightly raised platform in front of the male mannequin clearly showing men’s power over women during the 60s.

In terms of uses and gratifications, the audience would find escapism within the program as they’re learning about another time. This links with ‘retrophilia’ where the audience enjoy watching and learning things about the past. Retrophilia also links in with information that the audience would get from the program as it gives the audience authentic information on the 1960s due to the amount of detail within the program.

Within this episode we see Peggy Olson’s departure from the company, through research and looking at various fan websites and the guardian newspaper discussions, I found that audiences were shocked with this departure. In the episode a wide shot is used to capture Peggy waiting with contends from her desk for an elevator. The shot captures her smiling as you hear the non-diegetic music of ‘You really got me’ playing as she walks out of the frame. The music at the end of this shot was described as a “massive musical climax” on the Guardian’s page, the post then went on to say “This rush of rock’n’roll seemed significant, as if it was representative of all the exciting adventures yet to come for Peggy.” Audiences and fans of the show took to forums and blogs to post comments onto them discussing Peggy’s departure. Comments such as “Peggy’s departure came as a surprise” (the Guardian), show shock within the audience at Peggy’s departure and show that Mad Men is a character driven program rather than plot driven as the audience(s) follow the stories of the characters on the show. Compared to Lost, the fans of Mad Men are much more active as they discuss the scenarios that happen within the certain episodes on blogs with other fans. Some fans review and conduct a deep discussion on the program/ episode. For example ‘The Orange Couch’ looked at season 5 episode 11 on their YouTube channel and opened a deep discussion about themes and scenarios within that particular episode, confirming the audience of Mad Men take a more active role. These forums and blogs created by the fans offer them gratification and social integration as they can debate the themes within the program with others, which boosts the appeal of the program.

My third and final text for this section is Steven Knights ‘Peaky Blinders’. This crime drama, set in 1919, follows former World War One soldiers who have returned home and formed a criminal gang in Birmingham. The program aired on BBC Two, a channel which screens programmes targeting the arts, culture and drama and some comedy. These types of texts appeal to audience who aren’t already served by BBC One of ITV. Over its first 30 years the channel developed a reputation for screening highly praised and prestigious ‘high-brow’ drama series. A ‘high-brow’ text is rich in intelligence and culture. Peaky Blinders has elements of a high-brow text but it also contains mainstream conventions such as the music. The Peaky Blinders soundtrack includes contemporary artists such as Nick Cave and The White Stripes, this use of modern music intertwined within the program creates a post-modern program, it also boosts audience appeal as they may be fans of the artists

The text has been complemented for its high production value and cinematography. An active audience would take gratification from this as (cinematically) it resembles a movie. Peaky Blinders has been compared to the American Program ‘Boardwalk Empire’, as both programmes are stylistic, have film star casts, set in the past and are about crime. A negotiated audience would enjoy the text however would think that it lacks originality as it often seems to mirror some of the key narrative themes from Boardwalk Empire, the American text set in the same era. The text was also accused of giving up its artistic merit and realism for mainstream convention.

The cast of Peaky Blinders is another element which boosts the audiences appeal to the program as three of the actors are movie stars. Cillian Murphy who portrays ‘Tommy Shelby’ in Peaky Blinders is a well-known actor who has featured in films such as ‘Inception’ (2010), ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) and ‘Batman Begins’ (2005). Award winning actor Sam Neill, portrays ‘Inspector Chester Campbell’ in Peaky Blinders. He is well known for his roles in ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993), ‘Jurassic Park III’ (2001), ‘The Piano’ (1993) and ‘The Hunt For Red October’ (1990). ‘Aunt Polly’ is portrayed by award winning actress Helen McCroy. McCroy is well known for her role as Draco Malfoy’s mother in the Harry Potter series as well as her roles in ‘Skyfall’ (2012) and ‘Hugo’ (2011). By casting films stars into the program, Peaky Blinders boosts its appeal as a wider audience made up of fans of these actors would have viewed the program.

The encoding and decoding model is a theory which Stuart Hall devised for an active audience which examines the relationship between a text and its audience. Encoding is the process by which a text is constructed by its producers and decoding is the process by which the audience reads, understands and interprets a text. Everything that is being shown to the audience has been constructed and encoded for them to decode. By encoding the text it allows the audience to participate and become more active with the text which gratifies them, letting them go to forums and chat rooms and discuss the text with others.

In response to Peaky Blinders, audiences and fans took to forums and blogs to discuss the program. BBC Two also have a web page dedicated to Peaky Blinders. Information on the cast, music as well as clips and articles are linked onto this website allowing the audience to research more into this program and become a more active audience. It also keeps them updated about the second series that is soon to be released.