Reviews and features
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital?
-it manages to capture and represent a lot of different audiences and groups in London
-its 'a brilliant allegorical portrait of London'
-'There was not a bad performance among the large ensemble cast and each brought something very different.'
- it was liberating not to be anchored to an overarching storyline and to enjoy, instead, a series of vignettes of characters who represent our capital in all its baffling and beguiling forms.
-The characters are relatable and well-drawn, and the mystery about who’s sending the notes will have you gripped.
2) How does the TV drama change the time period and location for the story in comparison to the original novel?
The time period changes as in the book it is set in 2007-2008 where as the series is filmed in 2015, which also resulted in a change in the location for the story - moving from Clapham to Balham.
3) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
Capital is a snapshot of a property boom that no one can comprehend. “For better or worse the economy and therefore our lives – not only in London, although it’s exaggerated in London – is defined by property and our strange relationship to property”.
4) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
'On the one hand, Capital offers a microcosmic metaphor for London at large, but it also feels real in the portrayal of its characters, from the financially-sound to the economically-struggling.'
Textual analysis
(Watch the trailer for Capital)
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The trailer uses aerial shots of London to show the setting and close ups of the street name so that we know where exactly the series will be set. There are also a lot of cuts to different scenes and characters to show a glimpse of the different lifestyles in London.
2) What does the camera movement when characters are initially introduced suggest about the drama and its London setting? Pick out one or two shots in particular.
The camerwork first shows the characters individually, such as when it cuts to the traffic warden, the owner of the corner shops and the builder, followed later by shots of the families to show the family drama side to the series, such as when the asian family is on skype to a family member at the dinner table, suggesting the series will focus on the groups, but also the family members separately.
3) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
There's no major change in lighting between the clips of each family wich might be done to suggest that they are all going through a similar experience.
4) Bastille's 'These Streets' is used as the soundtrack for the trailer. What does this communicate to the audience and why is it effective?
5) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
It uses enigma codes of the postcards being sent which makes the characters question who is sending them, why, what they want (etc)
Watch the Episode 1 preview for Capital:
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
-family drama
-mystery
-investigation
-crime
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
-Islamaphobia
-Diversity
-Behaviour of younger generation
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
Family are dressed causally, wearing 'everyday' clothes in contrast to the officer who is wearing a uniform which would be the same in the real world. The setting is also in a corner shop which would be familiar to most people.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The audience is positioned to listen to the remarks made by the son and understand his view on white people and how they are listened to more than people from other ethnicity groups. They are also positioned to notice the officers efforts to prove that he is trying to resolve the issue and does not become aggressive despite the sons 'attitude' towards him. The parents are shown to be concerned about solving who is sending the post cards and stopping it rather than looking deeper into the social issues it might be representing.
Watch the Episode 2 preview for Capital:
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
It represents an upper/middle class family life as you can see that they have hired somebody to help in the house and attend to the children which someone from the working class is less likely to be able to afford. The setting is also in a large, modern family home, which has enough space for more people as the husband tells the 'nanny' that she is free to have other people round.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
They are positioned to feel that he is being inappropriate as he is asking a young woman who is not his wife personal questions about her relationship and suggesting that she invites a friend, potentially her boyfriend (assuming she was in a relationship) to stay with them. They are also positioned to see that he isnt capable of looking after his children, as without the help of his wife he has to ask for someone else to step in and take her place.
Production and industry context
Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
It was established by Shine Group, which was then taken over by 21st Century Fox and and Apollo Global Management's Endemol and CORE Media Group, as Endemol Shine Group - a 50/50 joint venture.
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
Spooks
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Humans, Broadchurch, River, Flowers (etc). They have won an ALPSP award and 4 bafta's.
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
DVD packaging
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
It mentions Humans and Broadchurch - two very popular and successful tv dramas produced by the same company which suggests that Capital is just as good and viewers who enjoyed those shows will enjoy this too.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
It suggests its about individuals as well as families because of the way characters are grouped and sectioned off from eachother but also shows that they share something in common as they are all from the same place, which you can see as they are all placed within a background of London.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
It suggests that it is based on real life situations as the word 'insightful' suggests that it allows the audience to gain a better understanding into it. It also suggests that there may be some drama and suspense as it is described to have you 'gripped'.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
It represents London as more diverse as you can see people from a different ethnicity on the cover. It also represents London as iconic and recognisable as there is a silhouette of a London skyline, similar to what you might often see of New York - another famous and easily recognisable place.
1) What positive points do the reviews pick out about Capital?
-it manages to capture and represent a lot of different audiences and groups in London
-its 'a brilliant allegorical portrait of London'
-'There was not a bad performance among the large ensemble cast and each brought something very different.'
- it was liberating not to be anchored to an overarching storyline and to enjoy, instead, a series of vignettes of characters who represent our capital in all its baffling and beguiling forms.
-The characters are relatable and well-drawn, and the mystery about who’s sending the notes will have you gripped.
2) How does the TV drama change the time period and location for the story in comparison to the original novel?
The time period changes as in the book it is set in 2007-2008 where as the series is filmed in 2015, which also resulted in a change in the location for the story - moving from Clapham to Balham.
3) In the Telegraph 'behind the scenes' article, what does the writer say about the London housing market?
Capital is a snapshot of a property boom that no one can comprehend. “For better or worse the economy and therefore our lives – not only in London, although it’s exaggerated in London – is defined by property and our strange relationship to property”.
4) What references can you find in these reviews and features to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?
'On the one hand, Capital offers a microcosmic metaphor for London at large, but it also feels real in the portrayal of its characters, from the financially-sound to the economically-struggling.'
Textual analysis
(Watch the trailer for Capital)
1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?
The trailer uses aerial shots of London to show the setting and close ups of the street name so that we know where exactly the series will be set. There are also a lot of cuts to different scenes and characters to show a glimpse of the different lifestyles in London.
2) What does the camera movement when characters are initially introduced suggest about the drama and its London setting? Pick out one or two shots in particular.
The camerwork first shows the characters individually, such as when it cuts to the traffic warden, the owner of the corner shops and the builder, followed later by shots of the families to show the family drama side to the series, such as when the asian family is on skype to a family member at the dinner table, suggesting the series will focus on the groups, but also the family members separately.
3) How does the trailer use mise-en-scene to capture the family element of the drama?
There's no major change in lighting between the clips of each family wich might be done to suggest that they are all going through a similar experience.
4) Bastille's 'These Streets' is used as the soundtrack for the trailer. What does this communicate to the audience and why is it effective?
5) How does the trailer introduce narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
It uses enigma codes of the postcards being sent which makes the characters question who is sending them, why, what they want (etc)
Watch the Episode 1 preview for Capital:
1) What does this preview clip suggest about the potential sub-genres for Capital?
-family drama
-mystery
-investigation
-crime
2) What elements of the clip might suggest this is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama?
-Islamaphobia
-Diversity
-Behaviour of younger generation
3) Analyse the mise-en-scene in this clip. How does this provide realism and familiarity for audiences?
Family are dressed causally, wearing 'everyday' clothes in contrast to the officer who is wearing a uniform which would be the same in the real world. The setting is also in a corner shop which would be familiar to most people.
4) What audience pleasures are provided by this scene?
5) How is the audience positioned to respond to the different characters in this particular sequence?
The audience is positioned to listen to the remarks made by the son and understand his view on white people and how they are listened to more than people from other ethnicity groups. They are also positioned to notice the officers efforts to prove that he is trying to resolve the issue and does not become aggressive despite the sons 'attitude' towards him. The parents are shown to be concerned about solving who is sending the post cards and stopping it rather than looking deeper into the social issues it might be representing.
Watch the Episode 2 preview for Capital:
1) How does this clip represent upper-middle-class family life?
It represents an upper/middle class family life as you can see that they have hired somebody to help in the house and attend to the children which someone from the working class is less likely to be able to afford. The setting is also in a large, modern family home, which has enough space for more people as the husband tells the 'nanny' that she is free to have other people round.
2) What narrative strands are suggested in this sequence?
3) How is the audience positioned to respond to Roger Yount, the main character (banker and father to the two boys)?
They are positioned to feel that he is being inappropriate as he is asking a young woman who is not his wife personal questions about her relationship and suggesting that she invites a friend, potentially her boyfriend (assuming she was in a relationship) to stay with them. They are also positioned to see that he isnt capable of looking after his children, as without the help of his wife he has to ask for someone else to step in and take her place.
Production and industry context
Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.
1) Who is the parent company for Kudos?
It was established by Shine Group, which was then taken over by 21st Century Fox and and Apollo Global Management's Endemol and CORE Media Group, as Endemol Shine Group - a 50/50 joint venture.
2) What was the breakthrough show for Kudos in 2002?
Spooks
3) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced? What awards have they won?
Humans, Broadchurch, River, Flowers (etc). They have won an ALPSP award and 4 bafta's.
4) What audience pleasures does the showreel suggest Kudos productions offer?
-relatable characters
-narrative resolutions
-suspense
-mystery
-drama
Marketing and promotion
Read the BBC Press Pack for Capital.
1) How does the programme information on page 3 make Capital sound interesting to audiences?
It gives some information about what the series is about and what happens to make audiences want to watch it as well as naming the cast and giving a brief explanation of their past work. This allows audiences to recognise actors that they might like, intriguing them to watch the series.
2) Why does the programme information mention the other shows that the director and producer have worked on?
Because audiences might recognise other shows or films that the actors have starred in that they have enjoyed, creating the impression that they will enjoy this show as well.
3) Who commissioned Capital for BBC?
It was Commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Controller of BBC One and Ben Stephenson, Controller of BBC Drama.
4) Read the interview with Toby Jones. What does he say about the character of Roger?
He's become used to the luxury lifestyle that he lives and feels pressure from himself for it to stay that way. He's wealthy, but believes that he's a 'slightly' complacent banker rather than an evil one. The way that they spend money and what they spend it on is much different to other families, but to them it is normal (because of the lifestyle they have lived for so long). Despite being wealthy and having a good job, he doesn't have much control over his life or work.
5) Read the interview with Adeel Akhtar (page 10). What does he suggest Capital says about the fictional Pepys Road and the sense of community (or lack of it) in London?
He explains that the show has a very realistic element to it and Pepy's could potentially be any streey because it relates to what is happening on roads throughout London, however the reality of what life is like on that road in particular is captured very well. He says that Capital focuses on the concept of community and explains how everyone belongs to one but sometimes people feel as if they dont fit into theirs - like their looking in from the outside.
6) Read the interview with Shabana Azmi (page 12). What does she say about Asian representations in Britain?
She agrees that it is a fair representation and acknowledges that the representation of different communities and cultures is expanding and people are trying and beginning to understand them in their own way.
7) Read the interview with Peter Bowker (who adapted Capital - page 14). What are his favourite scenes in the drama and why?
One of his favourite scenes is when Roger wakes up on Christmas morning to find that his wife left and he is forced to look after his children himself as the storyline is carried out well but also is done in a way to entertain the audience as there is a comedic twist to it.
8) Read the interview with Derek Wax, the Executive Producer for Kudos (page 16). Why did he produce Capital and what does it say about the way we live now?
He liked the idea of seeing life in one street and says a lot about London and how it is now and there's an intensified sense of society. He mentions that it represents how at some point we become defined by our homes and forces us to think about what lifes real value is.
Look at the DVD packaging for Capital. There are many marketing techniques employed here.
1) How does the packaging use other critically acclaimed TV dramas to promote Capital?
It mentions Humans and Broadchurch - two very popular and successful tv dramas produced by the same company which suggests that Capital is just as good and viewers who enjoyed those shows will enjoy this too.
2) What does the use of design and images suggest to the audience about the drama?
It suggests its about individuals as well as families because of the way characters are grouped and sectioned off from eachother but also shows that they share something in common as they are all from the same place, which you can see as they are all placed within a background of London.
3) How are review quotes used on the cover and what do they suggest to the audience about sub-genre, narrative and audience pleasures?
It suggests that it is based on real life situations as the word 'insightful' suggests that it allows the audience to gain a better understanding into it. It also suggests that there may be some drama and suspense as it is described to have you 'gripped'.
4) What representation of London does the DVD packaging offer?
It represents London as more diverse as you can see people from a different ethnicity on the cover. It also represents London as iconic and recognisable as there is a silhouette of a London skyline, similar to what you might often see of New York - another famous and easily recognisable place.
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