life on mars Flashcards
(38 cards)
product context
- crime drama set in manny in dual time zone 2006 & 1973
- after an accident, detective sam tyler wakes up in 1973, the episodes are a 21st century account of 1970s life through his eyes
- produced by kudos film/tv for bbc wales originally turned down by channel 4
- 2 series, 16 eps, several global versions produced
narrative
- this is usually based on a crime that
needs to be investigated and solved. - elements of a flexi narrative as info is withheld from audience and characters are complex, storylines interweave, the
audience is encouraged to question what is
real and what is not and is challenged
through enigma and confusion. - Binary oppositions function as a narrative
element including good vs evil, police vs
criminal. - Plot situations are included that are typical
of the crime genre. For example, a car chase,
an arrest, an interview with a suspect or the
denouement where the perpetrator of the
crime is revealed by the detective. - Story arcs and narrative strands occur in
episodes and across the series of a crime
drama. In Life on Mars there is a narrative
strand of the crime that seems to cross from the present back to 1973 and creates an
enigma.
stock characters
- including a hierarchy with a boss,
a detective and sidekick and other characters, for example a victim, a range of suspects, the
perpetrator of the crime etc. - Often the pairing of characters are binary opposites, and their relationships contributes to tensions within the narrative, e.g., Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt in Life on Mars, compounded by the fact that they are culturally opposite due to the time shift.
setting and location
Some settings will be typical of the genre, for
example the police station, the post-mortem lab and urban crime settings. The settings in Life on Mars clearly establish in which time frame the action is taking place.
theory
narratology, todorov
The opening of Life on Mars establishes a typical crime drama narrative involving an attempted arrest, a chase and a police interview, this is the equilibrium.
The most significant disruption to this equilibrium occurs when Sam Tyler is involved in an accident and is transported back in time to 1973.
An enigma code is then established as a key element of the narrative and Sam attempts to repair the equilibrium by trying to work out how he can return to the present, enlisting the help of Annie Cartwright.
As this is an example of an episodic drama there would not be a resolution at the end of the first episode, instead there is a
cliffhanger.
theory
genre, steve neale
repetition: Life on Mars uses the time travel narrative and the intertextual references to the 1970s that may resonate with audiences.
change: some crime dramas are less easy to categorise as they are hybrid genres. This variation enhances audience appeal; Life on Mars combines the conventions of crime drama with those of fantasy/science fiction with the introduction of time travel and alternative realities.
Genres exist within specific economic,
institutional, and industrial contexts:
The recognisable codes and conventions of crime dramas make them easy to market to audiences. However, subverting and challenging these conventions by introducing more novel elements as in Life on Mars can also ensure commercial success.
How genre conventions are socially and historically relative, dynamic and can be used in a hybrid way
- LOM challenge and subvert genre conventions, in this case through the narrative and through reference to other genres.
- Crime dramas are dynamic in that they change and develop to reflect changes in society and to policing methods e.g:
it has intertextual links to historically
relevant dramas, for example The Sweeney.
Making these links allows the programme to be socially relative and to explore issues around representation and how policing and attitudes to certain social groups have changed over time
- Life on Mars is different from other crime dramas in that it highlights social change through Sam’s role in observing and commenting on 1970s policing from a contemporary perspective.
media language influences meaning
visual codes
clothing
At the start of the episode the clothing
conventions are typical of a crime drama
whereby costume denotes rank and
hierarchy.
As the episode progresses and the
disequilibrium occurs, the audience are
shown this through Sam’s change of clothing
to typical 1970’s attire with big shirt collars,
flares and stacked heels.
This adds to the enigma. The clothing of the other characters
in 1973 reinforces the time frame.
media language influences meaning
visual codes
gesture & expression
- non-verbal communicators are quick ways of constructing meaning:
Sam’s range of troubled expressions, evident from the beginning, rapidly convey elements of his character.
His facial expressions and physical
gestures convey aspects of his personality
and this contributes to tension within the
narrative.
His crying and hitting of the
steering wheel before he is hit by the car
emphasises his frustration and suppressed
emotions in the wake of Maya’s abduction.
Throughout the episode his expression of
bewilderment allows the audience to
empathise with his surreal situation. This is
echoed in the equally confused expressions
of the police team in 1973 as they attempt
to understand his time travel story.
media language influences meaning
visual codes
iconography & setting
the props, backgrounds and settings work in binary opposition to construct the narrative.
For example, the modern office in the police
station is introduced early in the episode so
that audiences can see the contrast to the
1973 office with its lack of technology, dingy
smoke-filled atmosphere and piles of
paperwork.
The modern road network contrasts with the demolished site ready for development in 1973. Other props effectively establish the historic time frame and contribute further to Sam’s confusion including for example, the old cars, the police panda cars and the walkie talkies.
media language influences meaning
technical codes
Camera shots, movement and angles work together to communicate messages and ‘show’ the narrative. LOM has high production values and a cinematic style which is used to convey information without the use of dialogue.
- Close-ups advance the relationships
between characters and establish tension
and a dynamic. E.g., in the convo between Maya and Sam where he takes her off the case and in the interview with Raimes. Close ups on Sam throughout the episode reinforce his confusion and disorientation. - Framing is also important in the
establishment of characters and
relationships, e.g., in the first meeting between Sam and Gene Hunt. Here, the combination of framing, gesture and
expression foreshadows the relationship
clash between these two characters. - Camera movement contributes to the
surreal elements of the narrative; for
example, the 360-degree tracking shot when
Sam stands up in 1973 disorientates the
audience, introduces the changed setting
and reinforces Sam’s confusion. - The editing of the shots is also important; e.g., the low angle shot of Sam viewing
Maya’s blood-stained shirt on the swing is
powerful when followed by the bird’s eye
view of the urban setting constructing a
sense of foreboding around what has
happened to her.
media language influences meaning
audio codes
- The David Bowie track ‘Life on Mars’ is
played at key moments in the episode and
specific lyrics relate to the narrative. It is
playing in the car before Sam’s accident and
the focus of the lyrics, ‘A friend is nowhere to
be seen’ emphasises his isolation. ‘As she
walks through a sunken dream’ foreshadows
the dream like narrative that is about to
unfold. - The strength of Sam’s emotions is emphasised by the audio codes, the diegetic sound disappears as he is crying and we only hear the music soundtrack. It is as if he is already in a dream or nightmare and the fact that he cannot be heard reinforces his inability to voice emotion as identified in the previous scene with Mya before her abduction.
- The use of silence is also very emotive. After
Sam is hit by the car there is silence which
further reinforces the audience shock at the
incident they did not anticipate and then a
series of audio codes reinforce confusion and
disorientation. These include sirens, music,
non-diegetic medical dialogue ‘stand clear’, a
dream like whisper and the beeping of a heart monitor. - The soundtrack of the 1970s world is
underlaid by music from that period making
intertextual references to the time and
creating nostalgia for the audience.
audio codes
dialogue
at the start of the episode the
dialogue is conventional of a crime drama, e.g., when the team go to arrest Raimes,
‘We have a warrant …’ and in the interview
room.
juxtaposes with
Gene Hunt’s turn of phrase and
vocabulary constructs his representation and
places him in the 1970s time frame where
what was acceptable contrasts with modern
policing w his exist refs “They reckon you’ve got concussion - I couldn’t give a tart’s furry cup if half your brains are falling out. Don’t ever waltz into my kingdom acting
king of the jungle.’
- When Sam ‘comes to’ in 1973, his
disorientation is emphasised in his
conversation with the police officer,
highlighting that terminology and vocabulary
is socially relevant. Sam says his car is a Jeep,
the policeman assumes this is a ‘military
vehicle’ and fails to understand the reference
to the mobile phone, just as the team in the
office misunderstand his request for a PC.
theory
post modernism
braudillard
post modern elements:
- The programme is postmodern in its narrative and the manipulation of time and space. The narrative is paradoxical and fragmented and audiences are required to suspend their disbelief
- There are also elements of bricolage,
intertextuality and cultural codes to create audience appeal through nostalgia. Meaning
is shaped through reference to the 1970s, its
culture, music and crime dramas of the time,
for example The Sweeney. The programme
relies on audience understanding of crime
drama to decode meaning which is then
accepted as the reality of the time. - The programme also has a social, cultural and historical context: its construction requires the audience to view 1970s Manchester with 21st century eyes and judge it accordingly.
simulacra:
- The 1970s world of Gene Hunt is a hyper reality created by a range of recognisable
signs; it is the 1970s re-presented from a
mediated perspective.
- It could also be said that Sam Tyler’s 21st
Century world is also hyper-real in that it is
based on the audience’s cultural perception of the police force that is itself constructed and mediated, rather than experienced first-hand. The audience understanding of this institution is based on what has been seen in other constructed media products.
how representations are constructed
through a process of selection and combination.
tech codes:
- in the opening scenes in present day Sam Tyler is shown to be in control, giving orders and managing the situation. In the 1970s world the use of close ups and 360 panning shots creates a representation of his confusion, disorientation and lack of control over the situation.
audio codes:
- the 1970s dialogue and vocabulary used by the police officers and Gene Hunt establish the cultural differences between then and now and create negative representations of the police. The music soundtrack also represents the 1970s.
iconography:
- clothing, particularly in relation
to the historical context, contributes to the
construction of representations and will have
been a key consideration of the producers in
creating the characters and their roles.
How representations may invoke discourses and ideologies and position audiences
- Life on Mars, re-present 1970s life through a 21st century lens. They portray ideas and values relevant at the time which may now be challenged by a contemporary audience.
- The time frame of the programme invokes a
discourse around representations of the time, particularly in terms of patriarchal and feminist discourses, in contrast to more contemporary representations. - Audiences are positioned to consider how
representations have changed over time.
The effect of social and cultural context on
representations
The effect of historical context on representations
representations of men.
- with its dual time frame, highlights
what it means to be a man in a particular
historical and cultural setting. The cultural
significance of male representation is reinforced by the binary oppositions between Sam’s world and that of the 1970s milieu of Gene Hunt and his team. - The representation of masculinity constructed in 1973 through the police team is one showing hypermasculine traits of dominance and power, esp in Gene Hunt. He is defined by his language and physical response to situations. His immediate reaction when challenged by Sam Tyler is to hit him.
Sam later refers to him as: ‘An overweight, over-the-hill nicotine-stained borderline alcoholic homophobe with a superiority complex and an unhealthy obsession with male bonding’ - Gene Hunt’s hypermasculinity is constructed
through iconography, e.g., his office has a dartboard, a typical male pursuit, and a film poster of Gary Cooper in the Western High Noon, contributing to the surface realism of the 1970s masculine world. He refers to the office as ‘my kingdom’. - Sam Tyler both subverts and conforms to typical representations of masculinity. In 1973 he is in contrast to the police of the time, particularly in the way in which he treats the female characters.
He confronts the macho behaviour of Gene Hunt and is sympathetic to the plight of Dora. In the 2006 world he demonstrates masculine traits of control over Maya’s role and the crime investigation. - Early in Episode 1, after his first confrontation with Hunt, the framing constructs a representation of Sam as vulnerable with closed body language while the rest of the office functions around him.
- It is Annie he trusts and turns to for help and he is happy to confide in her emotionally. However, the 2006 Sam is less comfortable when dealing with emotion in relation to Maya. When the audience are shown him crying, it is silent emphasising his emotional isolation.
The effect of social and cultural context on
representations
The effect of historical context on representations
representations of women.
- Just as with Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt, Annie
Cartwright and Maya Roy function as binary
oppositions, highlighting the cultural and social differences between the two worlds in relation to the role of women - Women are under-represented in the 1970s world of LOM ; e.g., Annie is referred to
in derogatory terms by the male police officers as a ‘nice little plonk’, despite the fact that she has a degree in psychology. She explains she is part of The Women’s Department: women in the police at the time had a restricted range of duties and were viewed as inferior to their male counterparts.
In Episode 1 we see her in her role
as administering first aid rather than engaging in active police duties. Also, despite her insightful contribution into the mind of the killer, is effectively marginalised and instructed to ‘trot along sweetheart’ by Hunt.
- Dora also serves to highlight the tension between Tyler and Hunt, their dealing with her reflects the cultural differences in attitudes to women. Sam’s interviewing technique is softer and more respectful, whereas as Hunt’s is aggressive and
confrontational. - In contrast, Maya Roy is in a more senior, active rather than passive role in the police and is able to act on her initiative and challenge Sam. However, she is also portrayed as the victim as she is
abducted and items of her clothing are left
behind, reinforcing her vulnerability.
rep of ethnicity
- In the construction of the 1970s world of Life on Mars there is an under-representation of minority ethnic groups within the police force, representing the situation at the time.
- Nelson’s construction is stereotypical, focusing on the Jamaican accent, bright clothing and jewellery. He is constructed as ‘other’ and ‘exotic’ and does not have a central part in the narrative. His role as a barman reinforces the cultural power relations which assume his inferiority
- Maya’s representation as an Asian women who has risen through the ranks of the police is more positive, reflecting a more equal contemporary society.
theory
feminist, bell hooks
- in the 1970s time frame audiences are
forced to consider the assumed dominance
of men and the oppression of women. Gene
Hunt’s ‘kingdom’ has no room for women, or
men like Sam who are responsive to the
situations involving Annie and Dora. - the environments in the 1973 world are
largely masculine, the pub and the office are
inhabited by men and intimidating to
women. - the language used to refer to women at this
time is reductive and derogatory, for
example ‘tart’, ‘bird’ and ‘skirt’. - Annie’s character highlights how women
were prevented from achieving their
potential through a patriarchal, oppressive
world. She is well educated, but is not given
the same opportunities in the police force as
her male counterparts.
When she is in conversation with Sam about the motive and psychological profile of the killer, she is his equal and this is shown by the camera shots.
However, the others marginalise her, making
sexist comments and treating her as inferior.
Gene Hunt’s response is to dismiss her and
to define her by her sexuality, ‘I think you’d
better trot along now sweetheart before I
have to hose this lot down’. This is in sharp
contrast to the role of Maya in the modern
force.
theory
feminist. van zoonen
- By directly contrasting the worlds of 1973
and 2006, the programme illustrates that
the dominant understandings of gender
have changed over time to reflect changes in
society in terms of the roles of men and
women. - In the 1973 world Gene Hunt’s
representation is constructed as one of
hyper-masculinity and Annie’s role is
domestic and nurturing. - Maya’s opportunities are very different to
those of Annie due to changes in society to
address gender equality, e.g., the
Equal Pay Act of 1970 and passing of the EU
directive on equal pay in 1975.
Processes of production, distribution and circulation by organisations, groups and individuals in a global context
- the BBC has a remit to inform, educate and entertain and to produce high quality
programmes for a diverse range of audiences.
The Charter sets out the BBC’s five public purposes
o To provide impartial news and information
to help people understand and engage with
the world around them
o To support learning for people of all ages
o To show the most creative, highest quality
and distinctive output and services
o To reflect, represent and serve the diverse
communities of all of the United Kingdom’s
nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United
Kingdom
o To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture
and values to the world
- mainstream programme from a
popular genre. It was produced by Kudos Film and Television, broadcast by the BBC and distributed by BBC Worldwide. The programme was nominated for a range of awards including in the 2008 BAFTAS In
2006 it won an International Emmy for Best UK Drama Series. - The success of Life On Mars over two series is an example of how the BBC as a mainstream broadcaster, whilst engaging in risk and producing new, innovative programmes, also relies on the repetition of successful formats to secure audiences in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
- The programme has high production values for a television series, evident in the choice of
locations, the cinematography and the actors
including John Simm, Philip Glenister and Liz
White. - LOM had a wide global distribution and an
adaptation of the programme was produced by ABC in America and other countries including Spain and Russia.
The significance of economic factors, including commercial and not-for-profit public funding to media industries and their products
- The BBC is a public service broadcaster, funded by the licence fee, with a remit to inform, educate and entertain, and this influences what is produced. The funding arrangement allows the BBC some aspect of freedom as they are less driven by ratings and profit.
The BBC’s relative autonomy
enables it to offer a diverse range of programming content and crime dramas are an important element of its content and schedule. - The BBC does also have commercial operations which supplement the licence fee enabling new programming. These include BBC Studios, a global production company and distributor.
- There is considerable support from the
public within fudning, the arts and entertainment industry and sections of the government for what is seen as the essential role played by the public service broadcaster.
The significance of patterns of ownership and
control, including conglomerate ownership, vertical integration, and diversification
- The BBC is a vertically integrated organisation, it has an in-house production company BBC Studios which has seven production bases in the UK and other global bases in partnership with other countries.
- BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide merged in 2017 integrating production, sales and distribution. Under the one name, BBC Studios this now covers all aspects including developing, financing, producing and marketing content as well as distributing it across a range of global platforms.
