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House Of Cards- The Influence Of Technological Change

Long form TV is an American concept which effectively is a hybrid of a serialised drama with the high production standards of film.

Drama
Long form drama
a show that runs in a series over years.
Starts with an intense beginning to grip their audience
They contain cliffhangers to maintain interest
TV drama is very much dialogue led.


Production values are lower than film (fuded by advertising revenue or PSB)

Genre conventions film
Typical costs $100 M to produce, distribute and market a film
Funded by box office receipts
High budgets permit high end actors and high end production

Long form TV Drama
conventions
Drama that runs in a series
they start with an intense beginning to grip their audience
They contain cliffhangers to maintain interest
they conclude the episode until the end where they conclude the episode.
very much dialogue led.
Production values are higher than TV drama (funded by subscribers)
High budgets permit high end actors and high end production


Production
•Traditionally film was available in reel format.  
•Film Companies such as Pinewood? Disney would commission distributers to get their movies into Theatres
•The logistics of getting film distributed worldwide was expensive however for many years film based media was to be high quality.
•Over time the quality of digital film has improved, resulting in a revolution in how films/video content are produced and distributed.
•Film is less relevant to the film and TV industry as it has been superseded by Digital content
•House of Cards was shot entireley in digital using “Red Epic” cameras.
•Production, editing and distribution are lower for digital enabling high  end outcomes at a lower price.

 Identify AT LEAST 3 reasons why digital production is cheaper and a more convenient medium than film
- Cheaper to ship a disk rather than 8,000 foot of film reel 
- Disk is cheaper to produce than film 
- Takes less time to produce digital so they don't have to pay for the longer times of development such as staff and chemicals 

Terrestial TV
Schedule content was fixed (reliant on analogue (radio wave technology as pre the internet)
Viewing experience was communal (families watched the same/similar content) as content was transmitted via Radio waves.
Dramas developed to encourage regular viewing
Program content with high audience numbers secured revenue via advertising.
Advertising revenue or PSB income (TV license) pays for drama for e.g. a typical Eastenders episode costs £141,000

Digital (streaming)
In just a decade, Netflix has grown from a video service with seven million U.S. subscribers to one that reaches 93 million people worldwide.
When Netflix first launched in the late 1990s, it distributed DVDs – mainly films – by mail. The convenience of the service disrupted the existing film rental industry and eventually led to its demise.
During the early 2000s, advances in compression technology – coupled with more homes gaining access to high-speed internet services – allowed large video files to be easily streamed over the internet.
Video streaming services such as Netflix (what I call “portals”) deliver programming “on demand” via the internet, viewers can choose what and when to watch instead of watching “what’s on.”
Subscription TV therefore offers significant benefits to terrestial TV.
Netflix (originally a US company) provides services to 43% of the US market, it has developed its global market with a presence in 190 countries.
Its popularity is achieved by providing high production content in several TV serial genres.  This includes complicated serial dramas (“House of Cards”), action series (“Daredevil”), horror series (“Hemlock Grove”). 
The company's now worth about $60 billion
2016, Netflix spent $5 billion on original programming.
The income from subscribers has allowed them to commission highly rated long form TV dramas such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.
2017 sales rose to $2.48 billion. With a global presence in 190 countries.

What is the comparative production costs of a typical UK Soap e.g. Eastenders compared to an episode of House of cards
Higher production costs in House of Cards
- Higher budget
- Well known actors
It is believable
House of cards uses real life famous locations such as Washington Dc where as most people wont know where Eastenders is located
£141,000 to product one episode of Eastenders where as House of Cards is £4.5 million an episode 
House of cards is distributed around the whole world compared to eastenders which is only in the UK

 How do audiences consume and interpret long from television dramas
Use to watch cassettes and live TV
Used to have a DVR and record shows but could record many 
Netflix encourages binge watching episodes
On demand is now used so people can watch whenever they want to- 24 hour access which is an advantage to the consumer, you can watch it after school or work easily. Offers no adverts either so it is nicer to watch, if you miss an episode it can be on later or you can record it 
Series are immersive so consumers get bought in and watch whenever they can- episodes having cliffhangers 
Netflix gets tailored to what you like and find matches for you so is is easy for you
Netflix offers more than one person to be linked to the account so it can appeal to families. They have shows for people of all ages including a kids account 

You can download Netflix shows and watch it anywhere

How audiences interpret long from television dramas    
•Long form TV dramas such as House of Cards are – open ended narratives.
•This makes compelling viewing as audiences cannot be sure how the story will be resolved
•House of cards has enjoyed 5 years of success since its release in 2013
•Frank Underwood and Claire represent the anti-hero their characters are complex, what makes us want to watch/empathise with these characters?
1.They sometimes give a small backstory that makes you feel sorry for them
2. You want to see how Frank Underwood will deal with his promise being broken 
3. Frank had a big promise broken and in episode 1 you feel sorry for Claire because she can't make her charity bigger 
Discuss the inter-textual links between house of cards and Shakespeare’s Plays in terms of
Direct address
Use of the anti - hero
- Frank and Claire Underwood are like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth- a married couple. Claire is like Lady Macbeth- power hungry and using her husband to get it. They plan things together. 
- When Frank Underwood talks to the camera it mirrors what Lago from Othello does. (Breaking the fourth wall)
- Frank wants power over money which is what Macbeth also wanted. 
- Macbeth killed 

Specific elements of media language used to create meaning 
Verisimilitude- idea that things are real because of the way they are hewn (location, acting)





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