The Bridge industry Flashcards
(26 cards)
What was The Bridge a co-production between?
Filmlance International (Sweden) and Nimbus Film (Denmark)
Where was The Bridge broadcast in Sweden and Denmark?
SVT in Sweden
DR in Denmark
Who funded the third season of The Bridge?
The Copenhagen Film Fund. This co-funding resulted in more Danish crew members being employed on the third season.
€1 million grant was received from Creative Europe MEDIA for Series 3 and helped to support and maintain the programme’s high production values.
Where was The Bridge broadcast in the UK?
BBC 4
Who was the main distributor for The Bridge?
ZDF Enterprise
How many countries was The Bridge distributed to worldwide?
150 countries worldwide.
What did the marketing for The Bridge in the UK focus on?
The BBC 4 branding connotes recognition of quality.
What parts of the show did the marketing strategies focus on?
Team of detectives - establishes a sense of community.
Character of Saga - a troubled anti hero.
The Swedish/Danish setting - iconic Oresund bridge.
How did the Radio Times market The Bridge?
Used a front cover image of Saga in her recognisable overcoat with the anchor ‘Hot Scandinavian dramas for cold winter nights’
What international remakes of The Bridge were made and what does this illustrate?
The Tunnel - French production
US version The Bridge set on the Mexican border.
This illustrates the success of The Bridge.
Why are international co-productions attractive to producers?
The collaboration means that economic responsibilities can be shared and the more contributors, the bigger the production budget.
How can Hesmondhalgh be validated through the BBC’s production of The Bridge?
Vertical integration - The Bridge was a Swedish/Danish co-production, received funding from several production companies and was distributed globally by ZDF Enterprises.
Formatting their cultural products - audiences can anticipate what to expect from new products through familiarity with genre conventions, then the risk in minimised.
Marketing was grouped together with Borgen, The Killing, Wallander.
What is BBC 4’s primary role, according to what they claim?
To reflect a range of UK and international arts, music and culture… should be culturally enriching.
Why may The Bridge have been aired on BBC 4?
It reflects a less mainstream and more niche audience.
What does the setting of the vast Nordic landscape connote?
A sense of isolation and alienation.
Links to the melancholic setting created.
How is a sense of entrapment created through the setting?
Corridors - scene where Saga is running away from her mother up the stairs.
Dimly lit locations - warehouse crime scene.
Social and cultural context of The Bridge?
The programme reflects the changing attitudes towards gender and specifically introduces a discourse into the narrative of this series around gender, identity, and LGBTQ issues.
The representation of gender in the programme, including the construction of Saga’s character, is influenced by changing social and cultural attitudes regarding the role of women in society.
The binary opposition of the Swedish and Danish cultures highlights how issues may be treated differently in different cultures.
Responses to The Bridge may reflect the social and cultural circumstances of the audience.
Historical context of The Bridge?
The Bridge demonstrates that genre conventions are historically relative and dynamic.
The representations constructed in the programme are affected by the historical context, they subvert and challenge typical representations that have been accepted over time and in doing so reflect the society of the time.
Different audience interpretations of The Bridge may reflect historical circumstances.
Economic context of The Bridge?
The Bridge demonstrates the economic advantages of international co-productions.
The creation of the Nordic Noir brand meant that programmes could be successfully marketed globally.
Establishing the codes and conventions of this style of programme builds a loyal fanbase and reduces the economic risk.
What has globalisation enabled in the television industry?
Globalisation has allowed TV shows to be distributed and consumed worldwide, breaking language barriers and enabling cross-cultural engagement. This includes co-productions and international syndication, greatly increasing reach and revenue potential.
How has BBC Four contributed to the popularity of Nordic Noir?
BBC Four has normalised subtitled foreign dramas for UK audiences, positioning itself as the home of Nordic Noir. It promoted shows like The Killing and The Bridge with trailers and branding that emphasized their quality and unique tone.
What economic obligations come with international funding?
Funding often requires productions to hire local talent, film in certain regions, and engage with international broadcasters, ensuring cultural and economic return to the funding bodies.
How was the show marketed through trailers?
The BBC released a short 40 second teaser trailer, focusing on Saga and her grappling the aftermath of Martin.
This depicts Saga alone in her car by the bridge - alludes to the sense of isolation.
The trailer also includes the BBC 4 branding - indication of quality.
How was the show marketed through posters?
The promotional posters prominently featured the Øresund Bridge, reinforcing the show’s iconic setting and its thematic exploration of boundaries and connections.
Saga was also portrayed in these - emphasising her lead role.
