TV: The rise of foreign-language television

TV: The rise of foreign-language television

The television industry has changed significantly in recent years - with subtitled foreign programming a perfect example.

Through globalisation and developments in technology, the way we watch television is completely different to even 15 years ago. We need to explore the rise in popularity of foreign-language television and work out why audiences like it and what is behind the recent surge in interest.

Foreign-language television

Foreign-language television is becoming increasingly mainstream with the rise of on-demand services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime alongside UK digital channels such as BBC4.

Audiences are now accustomed to 'binge-watching' TV drama and seem increasingly open to content from around the world. This perhaps reflects the global nature of the internet and the fact younger generations are more likely to see themselves as global citizens. It also reflects the global nature of the television industry with a small number of international media conglomerates owning the vast majority of TV production companies.

Walter Presents

‘Walter Presents’ is a video-on-demand (VOD) service from Channel 4, available through their online streaming site All4. The service presents international TV drama curated by Walter Iuzzolino.

The service aims to avoid so-called arthouse programming in favour of more mainstream productions, aimed at competing against Netflix and Amazon Prime. Walter Iuzzolino stated any selected show must be popular in its native country and it must be “award-winning or critically acclaimed”.

Watch the trailer for the ‘Walter Presents’ service and think about the following questions:

• Close-textual analysis: how does the trailer use film language to encourage the audience to watch?
• What conventions of TV drama are highlighted in the trailer?
• How many clips from Deutschland 83 can you spot?
• What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer?

 

Meet Walter promo clip

Channel 4 created a short introductory video for ‘Walter Presents’. Watch the clip and think about the following:

• How is Walter introduced?
• What target audience is this aiming at? 
• What audience pleasures are suggested from the promo?
• What does Walter say about TV drama? 

The rise of foreign-language TV: Blog tasks

To continue our work on Deutschland 83, we need to read a range of articles on the foreign-language TV phenomenon. When answering the questions, consider the issues from both an audience and industry perspective.

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

It expresses that, Fifteen years prior, in the event that you'd referenced to an associate that you'd spent Saturday night stuck to a subtitled European show, you'd have been unobtrusively pronounced pompous, dull and, potentially, somewhat odd. In any case, as time advanced unknown dialect dramatizations aren't even on-pattern, they're completely standard, which demonstrates the ubiquity increment of unknown dialect media. 

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

Iuzzolino proposes that the key intrigue for his Walter Presents arrangement is the material. He infers that the substance of the shows chosen offer the opportunity for gatherings of people to share stories and join over their encounters with points, for example, love, demise, governmental issues and savagery - which are all viewed as general subjects. 

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

The covert operative thriller'a nearness in American TV connotes that there isn't simply space for outside and subtitled dramatisation in a period when TV demonstrates are much of the time ending up more brave than highlight films, yet that gatherings of people both need it and have an effect into whether it returns. Additionally, it proposes that the captions enable groups of onlookers to have a progressively extreme and vivid survey understanding. This is on the grounds that, by perusing the captions continually, we are prevented from taking a gander at another screen or at our telephones. Captions keep us from performing multiple tasks and they make us centre around the real story of the outside TV dramatisation more. 
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

The outside shows offer a knowledge into the lives of the individuals who are distinctive ethnicity to us, in this manner enabling watchers to pick up a superior comprehension of various societies and ways of life, which could be considered as observation. They trust that it's imperative to know about and feel for individuals and their encounters from around the world.
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.

5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?

The makers of the TV show the flash recognised that they have a lot of fans who are on the younger side therefore they add a lot of humour to the show and less violence because they are aware that there are younger kids watching and they dont want the show to be too be to violent because it may have a negative impact on the kids.

Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?

4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?

5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?

IndieWire: The rise of international television

Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?

 The article speaks about how Tv shows have more time to build up narrative and story arcs whereas in a movie there is only a limited time for someone to build up a good story arc before the movie ends and that means that the directors must work with what time they have to create an interesting plot to get the audience involved.  
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?

This spotlights on the effect of war which was looked in the Israel society and furthermore centres around the degenerate America government. 

3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?

I trust that it had the capacity to conquer the contrasts between the US TV shows and UK dramatisations as they are not as emotional contrasted with German TV dramatisations. The conceivable reason that it was effective in worldwide nations as it perhaps taken after more government operative culture type rather than being progressively German related way of life. 

4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?

Crowd will in general use captions when sitting in front of the TV, since they think that its hard to pursue the account of the story and captions help them comprehend the story. Besides some gathering of people individuals don't care for captions. 

What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?

The traditional lengths for TV dramas are usually from 40 minutes to sometimes an hour long and usually the shows seasons last around 5 -6 depends on how popular the show is.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

Conventional TV makers made accounts that spin around bluff holders to keep watchers viewing after week. With Netflix and other interest benefits, that cant be a plot system with the consistent accessibility of the shows on the web. 
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

complex story lines are unquestionably progressively required these days because of the moment accessibility of TV appears, the cliffhangers can be utilised to ensure that the group of onlookers continues viewing. 

4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

They're ordinarily kept as of now to make them increasingly simpler to be overseen as they'll be set in squares. 

5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

It helps in two fronts, one, it assists with keeping fans drew in with the show, a feeling of network can be discovered when extensive gatherings of individuals share the way that they're viewing a similar show E.g. Umbrella foundation and GOT. Alongside that it additionally offers a chance or free client created advancement