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 reviews.
"an irresistible export" and “the flop of the year”
2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?
It makes the time period seem less serious than it actually was.
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?
One on the commentators felt proud initially then found out this German show was written by Americans.
'German series often suffer from poor production value and screenplays are either obsessed with complexity or dull and boring' The audience can be seen to be unimpressed with the poor production value of the show.
was designed to be the big ballsy production that restored German TV’s pride, with the marketing budget to go with it.
Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features
Channel 4 News: Matt Frei interviews Jonas Nay
1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany?
Jonas says that the Cold War was not as well covered as WW2 in school. As he wasn't alive during the separation - he said that he's like to live in West Berlin as they had more freedom.
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!)
"Channel 4 is a publicly-owned and commercially-funded UK public service broadcaster, with a statutory remit to deliver high-quality, innovative, alternative content that challenges the status quo". - C4 wants to reach out to a bigger, more international audience.
3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?
C4 has their own News section and much of the refugee crisis was covered on C4 News.
Behind the scenes clips
The All4 website has a range of clips from behind the scenes of Deutschland 83. Watch the following:
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
Watch this short promotional clip for Deutschland 83.
1) According to the clip, why should audiences watch Deutschland 83?
Anna Le Vine Winger (creator of the show) says = 'Because it is fun, because it is super interesting, because there are great performances, because it is a trip, it's an adventure, and there are a lot of surprises... and it's a journey and you want to go on the journey with these people'.
2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?
It's a costume drama set in a real life event but in a fictionalised form. The Cold War was also not covered alot so this provides information as well.
3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?
'The cinematography,the costume and the production design are striking. It uses a style that we know from some "event movies". I'd say our mother and fathers paved the way for us'-Jorg Winger (producer)
Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.
1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?
Because it's a costume drama, the costumes say everything from the time period to the occupation of the character. The set design and props are meant to look like they are from 1983 to give it an authentic feel and to succeed at making a costume drama.
2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?
Lange read the screenplay, then looked at images for perspectives. The setting, costume and props were very historically accurate and there was a lot of research done in preparation about the different cars, computers, building designs and colour schemes that we used in 1983.
3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?
Without these props, the drama would be very boring and unrealistic. This was set around Able Archer and not having the dated costumes, set design and props to go with it would lose the audiences interest.
Textual analysis: Audience pleasures and representations
We need to consider the audience pleasures of Deutschland 83 alongside various representations created in the first episode.
Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20
- Setting used to show difference between East and West Germany
- TV in scene in East showing concert from Budapest (in East)
- Prop- Nescafé coffee demonstrates what is not available in the East BUT, also shows that you don't need these big brands to be happy as the people in the East prove
- Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender
- Individual v Community- West v East
- Contrast in atmosphere
- Fetishisation of Eastern/ Working class life
- Socialism vs Capitalism
Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket
14.30 – 20.25
- Mise-en-scene- supermarket colour
- House in the West- chandelier, oak panels- connotations of wealth
- Supermarket shelves- very organised, fresh food (how historically accurate is it?)
- Intertextual reference to pop art- Andy Warhol painting.
- Dialogue- on bench
- Music- "Sweet Dreams" (Diagetic use of the Eurythmics' 'Sweet dreams' helps to bring Martin's experience in the West to life).
- East and West- colour difference
- Hegemony- Tobias- even though he talks about his sacrifices, a dominant ideology is being reinforced
- Music- 'Sweet dreams'- NOSTALGIA
- PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS- When Martin runs, we want him to be free.
Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40
- Split screen- designed to create divide between East and West
- Graphics/ brand names- 80s
- Montage sequence
- Narrative development
- Dialogue/ voiceover
- music
- difference between East and West
- West- Americanised
- Bond movie, the gadgets create excitement
Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30
- Close- ups of real Able Archer documents
- Ronald Reagan's signature makes it look more authentic
- Sound effects- exaggerated to give the feeling we are next to him
- Diversion- enigma/ action codes (Barthes)
- Surveillance- real docs- events (photo of the machine)
Deutschland 83 was produced by German production company UFA Fiction and distributed internationally by FremantleMedia International. It was broadcast on RTL (Germany), SundanceTV (US) and Channel 4 (UK) as well as many other broadcasters around teh world.
1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced?
According to their website - UFA FICTION stands for qualitative and successful fictional formats in German TV and cinema
Here are some of their most successful shows:
" Deutschland86 " (Amazon Prime Video), " Ku'damm 59 " (ZDF), " The boy has to go to the fresh air " (cinema), " Naked under wolves " (Das Erste), " Danni Lowinski " (Sat.1), " Our Mothers, Our Fathers " (ZDF), " The Medicus " (Cinema) and " I'll be gone then" (Movie theater).
2) What kind of company is Freemantle Media International and what do they produce?
They produce shows that are under these categories: Global Entertainment, Drama and branded entertainment. They've made shows like Price is Right, Family Feud, X Factor and Grand Designs.
3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?
It didn't do so well in Germany but it did amazing in the UK and the US. D83 was written by a pair of German writers, produced by German/American companies then is distributed to American and British broadcasters such as Channel 4. D83 encompasses many asoects of an international effort being made.
Walter Presents
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.
1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?
C4 introduce Walter as some sort of TV drama oracle and that he KNOWS a good drama when he sees one. He then seems like a voice of reasoning and gives a sort of 'star power'/critical assurance that the Walter Presents lineup is worth watching.
2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?
They know that he is going to produce great dramas as the trailer shows him glaring at a TV for ages so he has quite a lot of experience by the looks of it.
3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?
More and more people are owning a device where they can stream videos. C4 wants to attract an international audience so that they can get more streams and revitalise the new, digital age for some PSBs
Marketing and promotion
Trailer
1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).
Personal Identity- Many Germans feel as if they see themselves reflected in the drama
Personal Relationships- we establish a close and personal relation with Martin.
Diversion- The sub- genre of spy/ thriller can be seen as something that audiences may want to watch in order to divert/ escape reality-East v West (the conflict and suspense)
Surveillance- As Deutschland 83 is a Historical drama based on true events that took place in the past (Able Archer), audiences can gain some information/ knowledge from the series- the archives of real footage of the war and president speaking showcases the historical aspect.
2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?
It shows that the drama is a spy drama due to the many images of him photographing things, looking for things. There is also some action scenes which tell us this is going to be good. Also the countdown could suggest something about war which makes it more watchable for some viewers.
3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?
Naturally, Brits are repelled by any language that isn't English. This is also to show that the foreign languages might make them confused as they watch it because don't know it.
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?
Winger says = "The original seed of the idea was based on something that happened to my husband when he was doing his West German military service in the 1980’s. He was a radio signaller in West Germany, listening to the Russian troops in East Germany. Occasionally the Russians would greet him by name. So they knew that he was listening and he knew there must be a mole at his base – but he never figured out who the mole was. It could have been a boss or a colleague. My idea was to tell a story form the point of view of the mole."
2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?
"Music was key to the story from the beginning. The top 100 songs of 1983 are still on the radio all the time! It was just an incredible year of pop culture and the songs really travelled, maybe because music videos started around that time as well, so there was a visual component for the very first time".
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 is considered the most successful foreign language drama?
After launching with 1.49 million viewers, the first episode has now consolidated with 2.5 million viewers.
2) How does the news release describe the drama?
“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.”
TV Times
“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.”
The Guardian
“A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents.”
The Times
“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.”
The Daily Telegraph
“Evocative and gripping.”
The Daily Mail
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 font suggests a formal/military sort of feel. The font reads "over the wall -- under cover" which suggests that this is a spy drama. Also the review mentions the Cold War which implies that this could be a Costume Drama.
2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?
They utilise the concept of the '80s' feel to use thee neon-pop fonts and pop art colours to suggest that this is a postmodern show. The idea of Martin being split in two shows the divide between east and west. The graphics of the rockets and the Brandenburg Gate in the US advert shows that this is to do with Germany and some sort of war.
3) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries?
The bold, comic like colours in the US version is to make the average lazy, passive and u=unintelligent American viewer think that this is worth a watch as the poster is such a spectacle. The UK version employs a restrained approach. It still features some colour but also leaves some ambiguity to what it could be about as the average British viewer is smarter than the average American viewer.
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