Deutschland 83: case study

Introduction: Reviews and features

Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:

The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.

The Guardian suggests that "Deutschland 83 is serious thriller driven by jeopardy of the all-out nuclear kind." They also criticise it suggestion "Massive hype only generated 3 million viewers...beaten by The Voice on the other side." 

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

Focusing on Martin who is an East German spy makes viewers empathise with him, even though in real life these "Stasi officers are cruel ideologues who blackmail family members and fake reports for political ends."

3) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

• "Deutschland 83 was great, and I also hoped it was a sign of things to come on German TV. "See; Germany can do it".
  Only then to find out that it was an American writer...." - I agree with this comment as many say that Germany was the best at its movies/shows and that it went downhill and America took over, this shows that Germany can still produce great shows. It had a good storyline, acting and cinematography and editing. 
• "The whole series was something of a learning experience for me. I think that's why I loved it so much. Always happy to have my knowledge topped up!" - I agree with this comment as you learned about how people lived in the East compared to the West and all the events to do with the cold war.
• "Great show with a superb soundtrack!" - I also agree with this comment as its soundtrack had great hits which were amazing from 1983.

Promotional interview

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

He values is freedom and mobility and the ability to think and and say what he likes.

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

As it is in German, it is challenges the status quo as most things we see in Britain is representing British Culture. It is also innovative as we rarely see foreign languages spoken in British TV.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

It might be interesting as they will be able to see how the political ideologies have shifted over time. Channel 4 have a young target audience (16-34-year-olds) so will have a young news audience. This will provide them surveillance (Blumler and Katz: Uses and Gratifications theory) and also show them a different point of view. 

Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - 360 degree circling Moritz when he is talking to the Edel's, creates a sense that thing are closing in on him. Contrast in East with camerawork accompanies him and his mum rather then being threatening. Several shots in East German Party of the key characters shot OTS or through other guests, creates a welcoming atmosphere. Huge contrast in mise-en-scene in West and East. Martin's house is East is old and broken, whereas in West it is very modern and updated (links to ideologies of the countries).
• Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender - Western, Edel's family is shown to be dysfunctional and unhappy, seems awkward and forceful. Contrasts with the Party in East German which a relaxed atmosphere. Could be an example of the fetishisation of the working class in the media, makes the East German life look appealing and positive which is arguably, historically inaccurate.

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - use of colour and costume, iconic red puma which is a colourful contrast to the East. Supermarket shelf is colourful and stacked high, which is an example of postmodernism art which is designed to show the contrast of the East and the West. 
• Audio codes – particularly music - Music, 'Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These, diegetic but full of meaning to convey Martin's first experience of the west. Dialogue on bench emphasises positives about the East and the dangers of the East but overall seems to present the West and capitalism in a positive light.
• Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy - Shot of the two policemen eating ice cream is symbolic of the differences of the West and the East. Several shots emphasises the representation of East and West, close up of chandelier and wide shot of bedroom etc. Gender representation 'What does Annett want?' Perhaps represents traditional gender roles as they were at the time or should we criticise this for not having lack of female characters. 
• Audience pleasures - Historical context: Blumler + Katz: U+G - Surveillance - Danger of WW3, reference to Pershing II missiles . 1980's soundtrack provide nostalgia, faithful reconstruction of the West.

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Fast paced editing with jump cuts, typical of a montage sequence. Split screen/editing/graphics used to emphasise the difference in the West and the East.
• Audio codes - Music and SFX, non-diegetic sound adds to the pace. The dialogue and voiceover covers the narrative quickly.
• Audience pleasures - German audience - nostalgia with the brands and products. International audience, surveillance U+G theory - learning about Germany, 80's gadgets. Genre pleasures - spy/thriller   
• Intertextuality - Similar to a Bond sequence, particularly with the gadgets.

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Close-ups of Moritz picking the lock and photographing the documents. Close-ups of the documents, perhaps based on the replicas released in 2013 to show the historical aspect of the show. Shots from behind the blinds etc. and the recuring motifs though windows and behind objects creates voyeuristic pleasures and fits with the genre. By keeping the camera at a distance it gives the audience an experience of a spy.
• Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound - non-diegetic music helps convey the tension. Diegetic - audio deliberately tuned up so you can hear his breathing and the locks and turning the pages of the - helps create the tension.
• Audience pleasures - B+K - U+G theory  - surveillance, use of real documents and genuine moments from the history if the cold war educates audience about Russia/Germany/America history and the threat of WW3. Personal relationships - effective scene because the audience is now invested in Martin/Moritz and so they care for. This creates tension. Audience want Martin/Moritz to escape for the drama to work  - emotional investment in the character. Action and enigma codes (Barthes) - audience think that Martin/Moritz will be caught at any moment.  U+G theory - diversion. Visceral pleasures - scene is tense for audiences to watch - adrenaline. Voyeuristic pleasures - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn't normally have a chance to see.

Production and industry contexts

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

UFA are a German production company. They have produced shows such as 'Our Mothers, Our Fathers', 'Naked Among Wolves', 'legal affairs' and 'Faking Hitler' to name a few.

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

They produce, distribute and invest in worldwide content. They produce shows such as 'Kingdom of Dreams', reality and quiz shows such as 'Press your luck' and 'The X Factor'.

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

Even though Deutschland 83 was a German drama, it was popular outside of Germany due to being distributed by Fremantle International, which works around the world in many different places. This allowed it to have a more wider audience. 

Walter Presents

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

Channel 4 introduces 'Walter' as  a globally acclaimed company, professionally picking out the best dramas.

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

In my opinion they target what their target audience is (16-34-year-olds) this is because it has a different range of stories and genres: crime, spy thriller, coming of age which the younger audience can relate to (personal identity - Blumler and Katz: Uses and Gratifications).

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

Television is becoming more for older audiences as younger audiences all use streaming services, therefore these shows have adult themes but also is accessible online on All 4 for free, perhaps engaging a more teenage to mid twenties audience. 

Marketing and promotion

1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

The trailer provides diversion. This is because it allows escapism for the audience to be transferred into another world of spy, which most of the audience cannot relate to and so want to experience it. It also provides surveillance as just from the second clip it states "1983 Cold War" - this teaches the audience about what the time was like. This also provides nostalgia for the older audiences due to the 80's soundtrack in the background.  

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

The trailer uses Barthes action and enigma codes by using all the guns and explosions suggesting to the audiences that someone will die or conflict occurring. The clips showing Moritz taking pictures puts the audience in enigma as we want to know what he is taking pictures off.

3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

Having the German or the subtitles may have put the audiences off the drama as they wont be able to understand or even relate to it (Blumler and Katz: Uses and Gratifications Theory).

Press pack

Read the Channel 4 press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. (If the link doesn't work, you can find the text from the interview here). 

1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?

The used the real-life time events and the political climate of that time to use as a backdrop and placed their fictional character in that time.

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

The soundtracks from 1983 are still heard on the radio in today's world and were 'incredible' songs from the era. It had context as well.

Press release

Read this Channel 4 press release on the success of Deutschland 83. (If the link doesn't work you can find find the text from the article here).

1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?

After launching with 1.49 million viewers, the first episode has consolidated with 2.5 million, overtaking The Returned (9th June 2013) on channel 4, previously holding the record of 2.2 million.

2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?

The press release describe Deetschland 83 in a positive light labelling it as "the greatest show of the year" and  a "subtitles sensation" 

International marketing

Look at these two different marketing campaigns - the UK DVD release (left) and the American Sundance TV advert (right).

1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

The tagline "Over the wall,  Undercover" suggesting that this has spy element so is a spy drama. The use of the wall and the nuclear weapons suggest it is something to do with war and perhaps from the wall, audiences can tell that it is the Berlin wall. The headphones also connote that is from the 80's as these type of headphones were popular in that time.

2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

The sans-serif font appeals to a younger audience as it feels much more modern. The left has a desaturated feeling so tells the audience it is a period drama, so fans of that genre will be drawn to this. the right hand side has a comic effect which appeals to the audience as it provides nostalgia. The costume and background (nuclear weapons and the wall) will appeal to audience as it has historical context and teaches (surveillance - Blumler and Katz - Uses and Gratifications Theory) and also nostalgia for audience who went through the Cold War.

3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

Different techniques are used to market in different countries as it is easier for them to understand that way something has been marketed. It approaches them faster.