Capital: Case study blog tasks

 

Work through the following tasks to build a detailed case study for Capital. This will give you plenty of background information to use in an exam question. Remember, for this CSP the question could be on any of the key concepts: language, industries, audiences or representations.

Reviews and features

Read the following review and feature on Capital:

Guardian review by Sam Wollaston
London Evening Standard: five things you need to know about Capital

1) What positive points does the review pick out about Capital? What criticisms are made - either of the TV drama or the original novel?

Positive Points About Capital

Complex Portrait of London Life – Captures the diversity and contrasts of the city.

Strong Ensemble Cast – Actors deliver compelling performances.

Relatable Characters & Intriguing Plot – The mix of personal stories and the central mystery engages viewers.

Criticisms of Capital

Underdeveloped Plotlines in the Novel – Some characters and stories feel incomplete.

Simplistic Resolution of Central Mystery – The reveal of the postcard sender is underwhelming.

2) What references can you find in the reviews and feature to the idea Capital is a 'state-of-the-nation' drama? How does it capture modern-day London?

Diverse Representation of Inhabitants – Showcases London's multicultural population.

Exploration of Economic Disparities – Highlights housing market issues and gentrification.

Authentic Depiction of Urban Life – Resonates with real-life experiences of Londoners


Trailer analysis

Watch the trailer for Capital:

1) How does the drama use camerawork to capture London life?

London life is captured through it's use of crane shots and uncomfortable close ups (armpit shot)

2) How does the trailer introduce the different narrative strands suggesting tension or enigma in the 40-second running time?
Through the persistent cuts between characters it established the tensions between them 

Capital in Media Magazine

Issue 83 of Media Magazine has a feature exploring Capital as a media product. Read ‘We Want What You Have’ in MM83  (p10). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about the 'state of the nation' genre and how Capital is an example of this?

They try to represent an entire country at a particular moment in time usually with multiple storylines and a large cast 

2) What does the article suggest regarding the setting of Capital?

Setting it entirely in London whilst may anger some for it not focusing more on other parts it helps bring some focus to the narrative 

3) What are the major themes in Capital and what does the article suggest regarding the impact of money on communities?

Immigration is a major theme tackled through the traffic warden Quintana, community and continuity is shown through petunia living her whole life on this street however the community isn't all harmonious with Roger and his family not using the corner shop help and rely on people outside them, Roger represents money which also seems to be what is breaking up the community 

4) What different representations in Capital are discussed in the article?

Social and political commentary is shown with the impact of money in everyday life being a force of destruction, the reps of rich Vs poor and industries Vs recklessness makes straightforward drama .

5) What does the final section of the article suggest regarding genre and overall message of the drama?  

Framing a state of the nation drama with some crime elements helps to hold the viewers attention although it also has an artistic purpose all of our lives are framed by hidden sinister forces one that capital tries to identify however capitals positions the actions of the banks as criminalso hidden and difficult to track it's hard to cover within capital

Capital Media Factsheet

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login) to find Media Factsheet #194 on Capital (BBC TV Drama). 

Read the whole of Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What does the factsheet say about the characters on the first page?

The interactions between them reflect the tensions between different cultures and costume is used to quickly communicate the different character roles

2) Focusing on the industrial contexts, how does Capital help the BBC meet its obligations as a public service broadcaster? 

Capital helps the BBC meet its obligations as a public service broadcaster as it educates us on the lives of immigrants,informs us of the class divides going on within London through roger and Arabella's privilege and entertains us with the comedic nature of the Kamal family and the thriller element to keep us entertained 

3) What do we learn about the ownership structure for production company Kudos? 

It reflects a horizontally integrated company with it's parent company owning a range of TV production companies across different formats and genres 

4) How can David Hesmondhalgh's ideas in The Cultural Industries be linked to Capital and Kudos? 

It can be linked as cultural industries utilise horizontal integration 

5) How does the factsheet suggest Capital meets the genre conventions of crime and social realism?

The we want what you have mystery was resolved and tension was made of villany 

6) How does the factsheet analyse the DVD packaging and what this communicates to the audience?

Uses the same promotional images that feature In the media pack,website and press coverage which creates a recognisable brand for the audience with the silhouette skyline of London containing clear geographical markers decorating setting whilst also establishing themes of British culture and financial issues 

7) Look at page 5 of the factsheet. Choose one of the audience theories in the table and apply it to Capital.

The preferred reading of capital is that what you say effects others and those in luxury should help the impoverished 

Negotiated reading is that this may be a bit stereotypical but the overall premise is agreeable 

Oppositional reading is that it focuses primarily on the capital and doesnt care about the rest of Britain 

8) What does the factsheet suggest regarding binary oppositions in Capital?  

Representations: close-textual analysis

Capital offers a range of fascinating representations - from London and asylum seekers to capitalism and inequality. You need to be able to confidently discuss these issues in the context of 2015 London - with reference to key scenes from episode 1. Representations include: London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, capitalism, aging and more.

These are our notes from this year analysing the episode in class. There are also these notes from a previous year analysing the clips in case this is useful. Use this to help with this element of the case study. You'll need your Greenford Google login to access the document.

1) Write an analysis of the representations in each of the key scenes from episode 1 we studied in the lesson:

Scene 1: opening sequence 00:30 – 4.49

The representation of family in the first sequence is  highlighted through the montage sequence depicting Petunias life living where she has with her family this allows the audience to feel a sense of nostalgia with her during this time and when its made clear she is isolated and alone makes it all the more tragic. On the other hand the Kamal family are very close knit and all live together subverting negative stereotypes we usually see  

Scene 2: work in the City 6.28 – 8.10

This scene represents London as bustling through the arrangements of drone shots forcing the viewer to remember the wealth and power it holds whilst also highlighting its fast paced nature through uncomfortable shots on the tube and the shot of exiting the underground 

Scene 3: “Which of those isn’t absolutely essential?” 14.00 – 15.35

The comments made by roger and his wife echo the upper classes privilege and their lack of care for others

Scene 4: asylum 18.03 – 19.42 AND 31.10 – 32.40

Quentinas narrative emphasises the inequality at the heart of London where she earns £300 from working overtime but only gains £200 with her contrasting lothar who is in a high power postilion she is doing whatever she can to be able to live with audio and framework in her house emphasising the difference between the rich and poor in London 

Scene 5: “What use is 30 grand?” 36.40 – 39.00 

Rogers privilege ungratefulness shown through his tantrum after only gaining £30k instead of the mil he was promised 

Scene 6: life at the corner shop 40.10 – 42.55

Closeness of the kamal family contrasts Roger and arabella being packed around a small dinner table/ sat around a massive one highlighting how money isn't everything without those to accompany you   although the Kamals argued at the dinner table there is a warmth also present 

You can choose which aspects to focus on for each scene: e.g. London, family, gender, ethnicity, religion, immigration, asylum, inequality, wealth, aging etc. Feel free to use bullet points for each scene - a summary of your notes is fine.

2) How does Capital use stereotypes? Do the characters and issues represented in Capital reinforce or subvert the stereotypes we typically see in the media?

Industries and production context

Capital was produced by independent production company Kudos for the BBC. Look at the Kudos website and also read the Kudos Wikipedia page.

2006: Acquired by Shine Limited for approximately £35 million.

2011: Shine Group, including Kudos, was fully acquired by News Corporation.

2015: Merged into the Endemol Shine Group, a 50-50 joint venture between 21st Century Fox and Apollo Global Management.

2020: Endemol Shine Group, and thereby Kudos, was acquired by France-based Banijay Group

1) Who is the parent company for Kudos? What changes of ownership have there been for Kudos? This is an example of conglomerate ownership.

2) Watch the showreel on the Kudos website. What other TV dramas have Kudos produced and for which channels? What awards have they won?

BBC One: Spooks (also known as MI5 in the U.S.), Life on Mars, Hustle, SAS: Rogue Heroes.

ITV: Grantchester, Broadchurch.

Channel 4: Utopia, Flowers.

Sky Atlantic: Tin Star.

Amazon Prime Video: Utopia (U.S. version), Tin Star.

BAFTA Awards: Spooks received the Best Drama Series award.

Peabody Award: Broadchurch was honored for excellence in storytelling.

Broadcast Awards: Named Best Independent Production Company in 2007.

3) How does Capital help the BBC to fulfil its remit as a public service broadcaster? You may want to look back at our work on public service broadcasting last term. .

Reflecting Contemporary Society: The drama portrays a diverse London community, highlighting various social and economic issues.

Stimulating Creativity and Cultural Excellence: By adapting John Lanchester's novel, the BBC offers high-quality, thought-provoking content that resonates with a wide audience.

Representing the UK’s Nations and Regions: Set in London, Capital showcases the city's unique character, contributing to a broader understanding of the UK's cultural landscape. (Chatgbt)