Doctor Who: Audience and Industries

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963?

Mainstream family audience - broad appeal as millions of people watch the BBC.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity: learning information that you did not already know. Doctor Who offers its audience an education about space travel, science and history.  

Personal Relationships: personally relating to something - seeing your lifestyle on screen. How different audiences may identify with Susan, her teachers or the Doctor.

Diversion (Escapism): escapism and being entertained away from your normal life. Science Fiction is a classic genre for escapism

Surveillance (Information / Facts): caring about characters and wanting to find out what happens to them. The audience are left thinking what will happen to the characters in the ends as they have entered a new planet.

3) What additional Uses and Gratifications would this episode provide to a modern 2020s audience?

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: learning information that you did not already know. Doctor Who offers its audience an education about space travel, science and history and modern audience may get educated by this.. 

4) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to An Unearthly Child?

VOYEURISTIC PLEASURE: Watching something you wouldn't normally get a chance to see for example we would not usually get a chance to see the inside of TARDIS

5) What kind of online fan culture does Doctor Who have? Give examples.

Doctor Who now has an international online fan culture of events, fan fiction, fan-edited trailers and more. The BBC also produces merchandise to sell to this audience. 

Industries

1) What was the television industry like in 1963? How many channels were there?

There were only two TV channels in the UK in 1963 and they were BBC and ITV and they had black and white scenes due to lack of technology in 1963.

2) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the level of technology in the TV industry in 1963?

Due to the level of technology in 1963, the film was in black and white with clunky camera movements and basic editing and sound effects.

3) Why is Doctor Who such an important franchise for the BBC? 

It is due to the fact that it brought in a lot of revenue and income to the BBC by being sold to different countries and was seen as 'entertaining' and 'educational' film to watch.

4) What other programmes/spin-offs are part of the wider Doctor Who franchise?

Other programmes/spin offs such as torchwood are part of the wider doctor who franchise

5) Why does the Doctor Who franchise have so much merchandise available? Give examples. 

It is due to the fact that it brought in a lot of income and was liked by audiences from different countries as it was entertaining meanwhile being educational.

Doctor Who: Language and Representations

 Language and contexts

1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class or this Google document of class notes (you'll need your GHS Google login). 

Camerawork and sound: 

• Music - theme tune to Doctor Who. Very science-fiction - sets genre from beginning.

• Graphics on screen: title of show and episode. Simple text/font. 

• Sound: hum of TARDIS (helps create science-fiction genre).

Mise-en-scene:

 

• Susan - first introduced dancing and dressed as 1960s teenager (costume). Seems to be both typical teenager and alien.

• Costume and hair typical of 1960s.

 

Narrative and genre:

 

• Opening title sequence like a rocket taking off - sci-fi genre and links to 1960s space race.

• Enigma codes: mystery of Susan’s home. French Revolution book - “I’ll have finished it” “That’s not right”... suggests time travel.

2) How can we apply narrative theories to this episode of  Doctor Who? 

Todorov's Equilibrium: everything is going fine until the teachers follow Susan and go into the TARDIS

Propp's character theory: Male teacher - hero, Female teacher - Heroine, Doctor - Villian

Barthes's enigma and action codes: When the teachers follow Susan to where she lives (action codes) In the end the characters end up in a different planet (Enigma code)

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

The end scene as it is interestingly left in a cliff-hanger where the characters were left in a different planet as they had entered the TARDIS

4)  What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.

Science fiction (Sci-fi) as it takes the characters through time travel and space and brings them into another planet by TARDIS

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?

Susan is dressed up as a typical 1960s teenager

Historical references to a revolution

Old technology in 1960s
Clucky black and white cameras

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The 1960s stereotypes are reinforced as the male teacher is seen or displayed as brave, strong and a hero of the female teacher and Susan

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The female teacher and Susan needed saving from the other teacher and this reinforces the stereotypes as they are seen as inferior.

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s? 

In the 1960s, young people are seen as less rebellious as they are seen today and old people like the doctor is seen as a bit more arrogant than young people in the 1960s.


4) What representations of race/ethnicity can be found in Doctor Who: An Earthly Child? Is this surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer and consider historical / cultural context (the 1960s). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

There seems to be less diversity in British films back in the 1960s as there are only either Americans or British actors in the cast. Nowadays there is more diversity in race and ethnicity in British films as there are actors from anywhere around the world in the casts.

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.

Susan may be seen or represented as a social class as she seems to live in a junkyard with her grand father AKA the doctor and she also seems to know more about history as she says 'that's not right..' when looking at the French revolution book so she may have more education than a typical 1960s social class teenagers..

Television: Introduction to TV drama

1) How does this His Dark Materials trailer meet the conventions of a TV drama series?

A TV drama series is a set of connected TV episodes that run under the same title e.g. His Dark Materials. This conventions are met when an episode will focus more on one character or another. (Ensemble cast)

2) What genre (or genres) are suggested by this His Dark Materials trailer?

Adventerous, action and drama

3) What kind of characters and narratives are introduced in this trailer?

We are introduced to Lyra who is apart of a prophecy as she makes her way through the world (which she isn't apart of) that she entered.

4) What settings appear in the trailer?

Realistic lighting and editing for social dramas to keep it gritty. Common use of flashback, point of view shots, dialogue and voice over, enigma and action codes throughout.

5) Who do you think the target audience for His Dark Materials is? Give reasons for your answer.

Teenagers to the age of 25 (both genders, female and male). This is because the storyline mostly has teenagers running around in an abandoned town or village

Music Video: Final index

1) Music Video: Introduction

2) Music Video: BLACKPINK - How You Like That CSP

3) Music Video: Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor CSP

Music video: Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

Audience

1) What do we know about the Arctic Monkeys audience? Think demographics, psychographics and how they got into the band.

Arctic Monkeys' audience are likely to be predominantly white, middle class and reasonably young. Psychographic groups might include Reformers and Explorers. Recent global success pushed the band into bigger psychographic groups such as Mainstreamers.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?

Audience pleasures would include diversion - the song is upbeat and fast-paced. Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song (about going out to a club and drinking).

3) Pick out particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?

The opening which opens with the singer introducing the song and adding the words 'Don't believe the hype'. This could be a reference to the online following the band built up using Myspace.  

4) How did fans take a leading role in making Arctic Monkeys famous back in 2005?

In 2005, Arctic Monkeys' fans shared and promoted the band's music, including their demo tracks and early singles, online, leading to a significant early fanbase. 

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the band? What does Arctic Monkeys want fans to think about their video?

Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song 

Industries

1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?

They formed in 2002 and wrote songs based on their lives and what they saw on nights out in Sheffield. They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a huge following online using Myspace

2) Why was P2P file sharing and MySpace an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?

Arctic Monkeys' music was shared on P2P sites, though this wasn’t known by the band or promoted when they found out. It allowed their music to be heard by a much wider audience.

3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how BLACKPINK were formed and became famous?

Unlike BLACKPINK, Arctic Monkeys weren’t put together by an entertainment company, they were all friends from school. They formed in 2002 and wrote songs based on their lives and what they saw on nights out in Sheffield. They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a huge following online using Myspace

4) Who is Arctic Monkeys record label and how many copies did they sell of their debut album? Why did they choose an independent record label?

I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is their first single from debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not released with niche, independent record label Domino. The album was released in January 2006 and went straight to number 1 selling over 350,000 copies in its first week.

5) Looking at the wider music industry, has the internet been a positive or negative development for record companies and artists? Why?

Myspace was used by bands and artists to gain fans without the need for a record company.  Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song.

Music Video: BLACKPINK - How You Like That

Audience

1) What are BLACKPINK fans known as - and what would the demographics / psychographics be for the BLACKPINK audience?

BLACKPINK fans are known as ‘Blinks’ and are largely teenage girls and young women. Their fans are worldwide but they are particularly big in the Philippines and Indonesia as well as western countries such as the UK and USA.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for How You Like That?

• Diversion: music video conventions – performance, effects, fast pace etc.
• Personal relationships: Fan interaction online through social media is a key element of K-pop’s global success. Fans feel like they ‘know’ the band members.
• Personal identity: K-pop fandom often involves copying the look of band members and seeing their own style reflected on screen.
• Surveillance: Western audiences gain knowledge of Korean music and culture.

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to BLACKPINK fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

 

Medium close up shot as it shows the audience what emotion the character is feeling in the scene and how this may make them react to something.

4) How was the How You Like That music video marketed and promoted to the audience?

This 2020 video promoted the lead single from Blackpink’s first Korean-language studio album, The Album. The video, released on 26th June 2020, was premiered on Blackpink's YouTube channel at the same time as the single was released. 

5) Why is K-pop a global phenomenon and what has helped it to become so popular?

K-pop demonstrates the global nature of the industry with BLACKPINK selling out arenas across the UK and USA as well as in the East. They played Wembley Arena in 2019 as well as huge US music festival Coachella. 

Industry

1) How were BLACKPINK formed and what records have they broken?

Blackpink was formed in 2016 by Korean entertainment company YG Entertainment and by 2020 was one of the most successful K-Pop bands in the world. As of 2021, the band was the most followed girl group on Spotify and the most-subscribed music group, female act, and Asian act on YouTube.

2) What other successful artists have YG Entertainment created?

1. BIGBANG

2. TREASURE

3. AKMU

4. SECHSKIES

5. WINNER

6. 2NE1

7. Wheesung

8. Se7en

3) How has technology and the internet (known as technological convergence) changed the way audiences consume music videos?

Technology has changed music videos in a way that you can listen to it on multiple online platforms such as Spotify or YouTube

4) How do BLACKPINK and K-pop show that the media and music industries are now global?

BLACKPINK and K-pop show that the media and music industries are now global reach of the music and media industries through widespread online fanbases. They have social media platforms like youtube, facebook and twitter to build global fanbases

5) How are UK-based music videos regulated and what types of content require warnings? 

UK-based record companies get their music videos rated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). The kinds of issues the BBFC considers in classifying music videos include bad language, dangerous behaviour presented as safe, drug misuse, sexual behaviour and nudity, and threatening behaviour and violence.

Music video: Introduction

1) What are the key conventions of music video?

Diversion

personal relationships

personal identity

surveillance

audience

2) What is intertextuality?

Intertextuality is when one media text references another media text – through genre, conventions, mise-en-scene or specific cultural references.

3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry?

music videos first become a major part of the music industry in the1980s

4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?

MTV was launched in 1981 as a platform for music videos and the first music channel on television. this is important because big budgets were spent on producing innovative and creative music videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller that had a film narrative, a well known director and featured intertextuality

5) How are music videos distributed and watched in the digital age?

New platforms and music apps on smart phones mean that listeners are now becoming one-device consumers and using their phones for all media access