4b - Audience pleasures

For question 4b you will be writing about the pleasures of watching television comedy for their audience. You will either be asked to write about one programme or to compare two programmes. You will have to:

• identify the pleasures of watching a television situation comedy
• identify the pleasures of watching a television sketch show
• compare the pleasures of situation comedy and sketch shows

4a - Scheduling

Question 4a you will focus on comparing a BBC comedy with a Channel 4 comedy, by looking at how the BBC is different to Channel 4. You will be expected to write about:

Insitutional factors including:

• Ethos and mission statement of the channel
• Brand identity of the channel
• How the channel is funded
• Which shows are the flagship for the channel
• Where the two comedy programmes come in the television schedules, looking at the time they are shown, which programmes are shown before and after, and what is being shown at the same time on other channels.
• Audience appeal - who is the target audience for both comedies and how to the channels aim to target these audiences

Pleasures of watching television comedy

Handout on the pleasures of watching television comedy

TV Schedule - Look at when they are on

Schedules

Analyse schedule - Friday Night Dinner

Handout on Friday Night Dinner

Analyse schedule - Come Fly With Me

Come Fly With Me handout

Find out what these key terms mean - research the answers online and use the terminology in your Q4 answer

Definitions Grid (Television comedy)

Audiences

• ·       What is Channel 4’s mission statement and ethos?
• ·       What is the BBCs mission statement and ethos?
• ·       Who is the target audience for both channels?
• ·       How are the channels funded?
• ·       Which shows is the flagship show for the channel?    (BBC/Channel 4)

Q4: How do comedy programmes offer audience pleasures?

Click on the links to watch the clips: 

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/friday-night-dinner/articles/category/character-profiles

(Channel 4 - Friday Night Dinner)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00trc9v

(BBC - Come Fly With Me)

Watch the clips and analyse:

• Identify the pleasures of watching a situation comedy
• Compare the pleasures of situation comedies 
• Make a list of at least five pleasures 
• Give a detailed example of when these pleasures are shown in the episode

COMEDY

You will need to write about 'Come Fly With Me' and 'Friday Night Dinner' for question:
4A and 4B

Representation of Class - Q3

You can search for any other of the clips on YouTube to give yourself more practice. 

Representation of Gender - Q3

Representations of Age - Q3

Robin Hood - Representations of Ethnicity - Q3

Note taking

Make sure you make clear notes during the exam. Mind map, revision grid or give yourself sub-headings when planning your answer.  

Note Taking Grid for Sequence Analysis

Action Adventure Revision Grid

Question 3

Action Adventure Q3

Question 2

Action Adventure Q2

Question 1

Action Adventure Q1

The Dark Knight - Q1 & 2

You can look at scenes from 'The Dark Knight' on representations of disability 

Spiderman 2 - Q1 & 2

Casino Royale - Q1 & 2

Explain how each of the following is used to create effects that fit the action adventure genre:

• Soundtrack
• Camerawork
• Editing
• Mise en scene