The Bridge industry: Flashcards
(55 cards)
When was the Bridge/Bron/Broen broadcast in the UK?
BBC 4 at 9pm on 21st November 2015
what were series 1,2 and 3 broadcast on?
BBC 4, allinging with the channel’s tradition of showcasing high-quality international dramas, particularly within the nordic noir genre.
what was the shift for the final season and what was the significance of this?
the series shifted from being broadcasted on BBC 4 to BBC 2. The transition to a more mainstream channel reflected the show’s growing popularity and its broader appeal beyond just niche audiences.
what is the genre of the show?
scandinavian crime sub-genre known as ‘nordic noir’
where is the drama set and what is the context behind it?
The drama is predominantly set in Sweden, with the title of the series referring to Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden, a metaphor for the collaboration between the two police forces which commenced after a body was discovered in the middle of the bridge in the first episode of the first series. This collaboration between Sweden and Denmark moves forward into series three, in which Swedish detective Saga investigates the murder of Helle Anker, a prominent Danish gender theorist and founder of Copenhangen’s first gender neutral preschool. Helle’s body is discovered in Malmo, Sweden, posed at a dinner table in a macabre tableau, suggesting the killer’s intent to make a symbolic statement. With Saga’s former partner, Martin, incarcerated, Saga is assigned a new Danish colleague, Hanne Thomsen.
the crime drama was a co-production between what companies?
Filmlance international (Swedish company) and Nimbus film (Danish company).
Where did the funding come from?
Due to the co-production, it was also broadcasted in both of these countries, which means that the funding came from two different places and has two different national audiences. Series 3 was granted funding by the Copenhagen film fund, a Danish company, which effectively meant more Danish cast had to be employed. There was also funding from Creative Europe media, who gave them resources to achieve a high-budget, high-quality feel to the show- they offered producers 1 million Euros and this subsequently had an effect on the style of filmmaking
How much did creative europe media offer producers in funding?
€1 million
what is the affect of having higher production values?
it often makes the show more appealing to audiences and also to other countries when trying to distribute it globally.
what is filmlance?
a Swedish film and television production company which has produced high-quality drama series for both domestic and international audiences. They are a subsidiary company of the Banijay group, one of the world’s largest international content producers and distributors, which encompasses over 130 production companies across 21 territories
what has filmlance crafted?
a portfolio of critically acclaimed drama series and award-winning feature films for broad local and international audiences which typically follow a similar theme, for example series and films such as ‘Beck’, ‘Sandhamn murders’ and recent netflix release ‘Ronja the Robber’s daughter’
what is Nimbus film?
A Danish film company- Nimbus film is Denmark’s third largest film production company. Nimbus is not an independent company, and in 2019 became part of the Newen Studios group, broadening its global network, as Newen acquired a 33% equity stake in Nimbus film. Newen is a French production and distribution company and is wholly owned by StudioTF1, a major French media conglomerate
what was the effect of Nimbus studios being acquired by Newen studios?
Nimbus’ partnership with Newen studios has enabled them to expand its reach in the Scandinavian market and beyond, fostering collaborations with other production entities and enhancing its capacity to produce high-quality content for both local and international audiences.
what was the effect of the co-production between Filmlance and Nimbus?
- cultural realism and relates to the narrative
- funding
- expanded talent pool
- international appeal and distribution
- filming locations
how did the co-production effect cultural realism?
each company brought in authentic perspectives, locations, languages and cultural nuances, enhancing the realism of the dual-nation narrative. For example, throughout episode 1 series 3 we see many stereotypes between the Swedish and the Danish discussed. It also relates to the narrative which has carried through from season 1- the idea of the oresung bridge and the discovery of a body between this point, causing the collaboration of nations in the narrative reflect the co-production in the creation of series 3. The co-production between these two companies made this cross national premise in the series feel organic and credible.
how did the co-production affect funding?
producing high-quality drama is expensive. The collaboration allowed shared production costs, reducing the financial burden on either company. It also allowed the series to be eligible for Nordic public service funding and EU/ Scandinavian cultural grants known as Nordic Vision, which often support cross-border projects. These grants aim to foster cultural cooperation, promote cultural diversity, and support the development of the cultural sector.
how did the co-production affect the expanded talent pool?
The series could tap into both Swedish and Danish talents- acting, directing, and writing, enriching the cast and crew
how did the co-production affect the international appeal and global distribution?
The cross national setting made the show appeal to audiences beyond Denmark and Sweden, positioning it as a stand-out in the growing Nordic Noir genre. The shared power of the companies and the fact they are subsidiaries also enabled international distribution in over 180 countries.
how did the co-production affect filming locations?
Being produced in two countries meant that they could film in two different locations/countries, opening up options on locations. This makes the production easier but also more challenging- it gives easier access to film in these countries, but it is also difficult getting cast and crew across these countries. It can also open logistically issues, such as which country legally employs the cast and crew and issues concerning regulation. It was agreed upon that the Bridge would follow the laws of Sweden, but they filmed in two countries.
overall, what was the affect of the co-production?
The co-production model used for the Bridge was crucial to it’s sucess, enabling it to be a bi-national drama with high production values, cultural authenticity and global appeal. It became a model for other international collaborations and helped set a new standard for nordic noir on the world stage.
what channel was the series broadcast on in Sweden VS Denmark?
SVT1- Sweden
DR1 (Denmark radio 1)- Denmark
what are the similarities between DR1 and SVT1?
They are both public service broadcasters and are funded through public license fees, therefore their content must serve the public in some way and showcase that it is not ‘wasting’ their money- e.g being cultural, offer high quality products, be informative and educational.
where do SVT1 have their own production studios?
In malmo, which is very useful as the Bridge was able to use these studios- in house resources such as SVT1’s studios allowed less money to be spent on resources
how was DR1 a good way of targeting danish audiences?
Denmark is a small country and almost everyone there watches DR content, so by broadcasting on this channel it was a good way of reaching large national audiences in Denmark.
