M1 SWOT Analysis

 

I have decided that the crime drama is the best option because it is my most developed idea and I believe the storyline is the strongest of the 3. I feel it will appeal most to my target audience because it will be exciting and gripping, in addition it will be more interesting because it is about something most teenagers don’t experience so the audience gain an insight into a different lifestyle. It will contain many twists and unexpected turns so it will remain exciting throughout the show. It is viable for BBC3 because it can be low budget, the locations can be filmed in the north and they don’t need to be anything over the top. My actors will be low budget because many will be young and I am willing to use unknown actors. This idea will not require any special effects or many props so the budget can remain low. 

P1 Ideas Generation

 

I discussed my ideas with a focus group in order to gain feedback on how I can improve my ideas. The main feedback I received was that my crime drama idea is the one people would most like to watch and the other 2 would require more development before becoming a full idea. 

Idea 1:

My first idea is a mystery drama series. It will follow two separate storylines, the first one is a teenage boy from a wealthy family who goes missing and they hire an expensive private investigator in order to figure out where he has gone. Alongside this there is a separate storyline where where a teenage girl from a lower class background also goes missing but the family can't afford a full scale investigation. Throughout the show it is slowly explained why the two ran away and at the end it is revealed that the two stories are linked and it turns out they ran away together. The two main characters are the protagonists. They meet online through both of them feeling like outcasts and wanting to escape their lives. Initially the audience would feel as though the parents are the good people however it is slowly revealed that they caused the disappearance of their respective children. The main characters will both be around 17-18 years old, as this is similar to the target audience. The wealthier family will suit the stereotype of being snobs, they will be restrictive of their son and make him feel trapped in their ways. The poorer family will essentially just be the parents of the girl and they neglect her because they are unsuitable to raise a teenage daughter. This show will be suitable for the target audience of 16-18 year olds because many of them will be able to relate to the characters and it covers social issues like isolation and wanting freedom which relates to the typical shows on BBC3. It will also inform the audience on how investigations are carried out and educate on the dangers of meeting people online. 

The feedback I received for this idea was it could be more developed in a sense of having more characters with more meaningful back stories as this would allow the viewer to become invested in the story and the different people associated with the two stories. 

Idea 2:

My second idea is a coming of age drama about a teenage girl who is a gymnast. She is quite a lonely person, she doesn't want to involve herself in the things that a lot of teenagers choose to do (drugs, alcohol etc.). She is at the stage in her life where she has to decide on her future and the pressure involved in this decision. She struggles with mental health issues such as anxiety, making this decision have an even greater impact. She also struggles with the pressures surrounding gymnastics and body image as a teenage girl. The main character is around 17, she will be in sixth form. She is awkward and often lonely but she finds her inner confidence in gymnastics. Some other characters in the show include her family, she will have a younger brother who acts as her best friend throughout the show, he is young and naïve but he helps her find hope when no one else is there. In general her family are her main supporters. There will also be various teenagers at school and gymnastics who she previously considered her friends but now have changed and treat her as an outcast. I may include a love interest who is similar to the main character. This show is fit for the audience because the age demographic is of similar age and may be going through similar things. Teenagers will find comfort in knowing they are not alone in their experience and this may help them escape the struggles of their daily life. The show covers social issues like mental health and social isolation which matches the theme of shows on BBC3. It will educate on the issues of mental health and how someone should seek the help they need. 

The feedback I received for this idea was that I could create a more clear storyline as currently I have focused more on the themes than the actual plot. I could include some storylines around other characters such as the family or the love interest.

Idea 3:
My final idea is a crime drama which follows a teenage boy who is extremely intelligent and he helps the local police solve crimes. He is a criminal but in exchange for helping the police they overlook his crimes. He lives alone because his parents left so he is forced to commit crimes to make a living. Throughout the show he is creating a master plan for the 'perfect crime' whilst he continues to help the police. As the show goes on he becomes less and less invested in the plan. When it comes to the time he plans to commit the crime he begins to carry it out but eventually changes his mind. Most of the police officers are sceptical of him because of his lifestyle but one in particular takes him under his wing and helps him become a good person. The main character is friends with other criminals but he has to decide whether to turn them in to help the police or be loyal to his friends. At one point in the show one of his parents returns to attempt to make peace with him but he is reluctant because of their past. Throughout the show his backstory with his parents and his upbringing are revealed which explains how he ends up where he is. Initially he appears to be the antagonist but slowly he becomes a better person. This show is suitable for the target audience because the main character is a teenager so they can relate to him and the things he goes through in his life will be relatable to some people which will help them to feel recognised instead of excluded. The show will cover social issues such as isolation and growing up alone which enables it to suit the themes of BBC3. It will also fit the aims of BBC3 which are to inform, educate and entertain because it will inform the audience about how the police work. It will educate on living alone as a teenager and how this affects someone’s mental health. Finally it will be entertaining because it will be exciting and allow the audience to escape their ordinary life. 

The feedback I received for this idea was I could include more characters so the plot is deeper and more complex. I could also develop some of the existing characters further. 

P1 TV Drama Case Study

TV dramas are typically around 30 minutes to an hour in length. They are episodic and categorised into series, usually around 8-12 episodes per series. Some conventions of dramas include they often follow multiple different storylines and characters throughout the series and they often have flashbacks to past experiences which deepen the storyline and characters. There are many sub genres of the drama genre such as crime, period and hospital drama, each with their own more specific codes and conventions. 

Death in Paradise (BBC1)

Death in Paradise is an example of a crime drama. Each episode follows the investigation of a murder which is eventually solved at the end of the episode, this is typical of crime dramas as it is typical for them to follow a new crime each episode rather than one for the whole series. There are also running storylines throughout each series which is conventional of dramas because they often have multiple storylines at the same time in order to give the characters more of a back story and make them more likeable to the viewer. Death in Paradise also has comedic elements to it which is different to many crime dramas as they tend to be more serious because they can follow some quite intense topics whereas this show combines the serious element of a murder with some funny events and characters. Each episode is an hour long which allows for enough time for them to solve the murder as well as have other storylines. There are 8 episodes in each series.

Uses and Gratifications Theory:

Escapism- The show's comedic elements satisfy escapism because they make the show more entertaining and interesting to the viewer. It is set on a fictional island and there are many characters who appear throughout the series which gives a sense of escapism because people are able to feel a connection to the characters and it's almost like they're there which can make the viewer escape from their normal life.

Personal identity- The show features a range of characters, each episode introduces around 4 new characters. This means there is some form of representation for all ethnicities, genders and cultures throughout the series so people can feel they can identify with someone in the show.

Personal relationships- People are able to talk with other people who watch the show about who they think the murderer is and this opens up a discussion amongst friends and family. 

Surveillance- This show satisfies surveillance because it gives the viewer an insight into the work of detectives which is something most people will never experience but would find interesting. It is also set in the Caribbean which is interesting for a British audience because it is a very different lifestyle to the typical one here.

Looking for Alaska (BBC3)

Looking for Alaska is a show based on a book with the same name by John Green. It is aimed at around 16-20 year olds because the main characters are around this age so the audience is able to relate to them. It follows the story of a boy joining a new boarding school and how he deals with the events of being a teenager and getting into trouble, it includes themes such as drugs and alcohol. It follows different characters as well as the main character and shows how they all deal with high school and getting older. There are 8 episodes in the series, each one around 50 minutes in length which is conventional of the drama.

Uses and Gratification Theory:

Escapism- The show provides escapism by containing a lot of action and many of the things that happen are gripping and exciting, it involves the characters getting in trouble so it is exciting to find out how they get away with it or what will happen next. 

Personal identity- This show's main characters are teenagers which is similar to the target audience, this means the audience can relate to the characters and they feel represented. They can also relate the events in the show to their own life.

Personal relationships- People who watch this show may choose to talk to each other about their favourite characters or what they believe will happen next, it can start many different discussions that relate to the content of the show. 

Surveillance- Many of the events in the show are things that a lot of teenagers wouldn't personally experience because they're quite extreme and unusual so the audience find it intriguing. In general it is interesting to the viewer because they get to see what life is like for teenagers in a different environment to the one they're used to. 

P1 Response to the Brief

BBC3:

BBC3 offers a range of TV shows, they have a lot of documentaries about hard hitting topics but they also offer reality and makeover shows and some of their documentaries are less serious. They have some dramas, including crime and period dramas. Many of their dramas seem to be based around dark themes such as murder. There are also a few more light hearted dramas about love and finding yourself.

The BBC is a broadcasting service that is payed for via the public buying a television license for the purpose of entertaining, informing and educating. BBC3 was launched in 2003, aimed specifically at a younger audience (16-34). It was moved entirely online in 2014 due to budget cuts however it is now being taken back to TV so that it is accessible to a wider audience. It has produced some popular shows such as Killing Eve and Fleabag which went on to be moved to larger services. It covers multiple genres such as reality, documentaries and dramas. Much of the content is edgy and transgressive which means it appeals to the younger audience because it is in line with current issues. Typically 16-21 year olds enjoy watching shows they can relate to so they enjoy seeing characters around their age group. They also enjoy things that are quite shocking and hard hitting because it acts as escapism from their ordinary life. Television dramas typically follow a storyline, there are many sub genres such as crime drama and period drama. They are usually more serious but sometimes they contain comical elements. Some examples of popular dramas include Peaky Blinders, The Crown and Line of Duty. BBC3's main competitors are streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime as well as mainstream channels like ITV2 and Channel 4. Television dramas tend to be around half an hour to an hour in length. The episodes follow multiple characters and storylines, often switching between the two throughout . They also categorise the episodes into series based around the events in the show.

Audience considerations:

The majority of people who took the survey either said they enjoy home comforts or they like to escape reality, this suggests that young people mainly watch TV in order to have some difference to their usual life or they prefer to find comfort and familiarity. 

The survey suggests that the most popular genre for this age category is comedy followed by action and crime drama. 

The most popular show named was Euphoria, 1 in 10 people gave this answer which shows it is a current popular show in this age category. Peaky Blinders was also a popular option.

Peaky Blinders was the most popular option when asked what is their top 3 TV dramas of all time which shows it is a consistently popular show not just currently. Euphoria is still popular as well as Breaking Bad, Sex Education and Game of Thrones.

The results suggest that the majority of people do not watch BBC3 which suggests that it isn't as mainstream as other platforms and perhaps it isn't appealing strongly to teenagers. The most watched shows were Gavin and Stacey and Killing Eve, likely because these shows went the most mainstream and moved to larger platforms.

The most popular streaming service was Netflix with a large proportion of the participants choosing it as their first choice. Other popular services included Disney + and BBC iPlayer.

D1 - Evaluate, Analyse and Creating Meaning

 

M3 and M4 Codes and Conventions

M2 Legal and Ethical Issues