Stranger Things

Genre-

1. What are the formal codes and conventions of Long-Form TV Drama? 

• Dramatic narrative (storyline)
• Multiple sub-plots 
• Ensemble cast (each character – own storyline)
• Main plot is usually resolved within the season 
• High production value sound/emotive
• Expressive lighting techniques dependent on sub genre 
• Scheduled Prime Time. 

2. How similar or different are the formal conventions used in Stranger Things? 

Stranger Things is a Netflix show so will not be on TV in the prime slots, which means that it is regularly available for fans to watch on demand, but also may encourage more people to buy a Netflix conscription as they have heard about the popular show an want to watch it for themselves, which they are only able to do through Netflix. Also, the main plot of Stranger Things is not solved within the season and is spread across multiple seasons.

3. How does this help to develop the genre and the way in which audiences respond (positively or negatively) to long form TV dramas? The genres of the set texts for example, Stranger Things as a Science Fiction/Horror hybrid genre drama or Deutschland 83 as a Spy Thriller genre drama. 

Audiences expect to see some conventions of the genre show through in the programme, so it makes it more enjoyable to watch if some of those conventions are met. It also allows for a longer story with more twists and turns which the audience may find enjoyable.


4. What codes and conventions are used to help audiences recognise their genre? 

In sci-fi, technology plays a big role in almost making something feel futuristic, even when set in the past like Stranger Things. The horror elements can be created through the use of dark lighting and isolated settings, as well as jump cuts and dramatic music.


5. How may these two set products contribute to changes or developments within the genre in their current form? 

As the series is not fully sci-fi and not fully horror, there will be less of a sense of focus on one or the other, which means that there will be elements of sci-fi like and unknown scientific being, whilst also elements of horror such as the dark scene where a scientist runs from the unknown being.


6. What similarities and/or differences are there between the genres in Stranger Things? How do these help to popularise the form?


They both involve a sense of unknown and isolation in the way that the audience is surprised by a lot of things included in the show, as they have not got a lot of experience with them. This makes the audience want to watch the series as it allows for them to experience these things that they can't really do in everyday life. 

Narratology-

Narratology can be defined as a ‘branch of knowledge or criticism that deals with the structure and function of narrative and its themes, conventions, and symbols’. 

This analysis of narrative can be broken down into a number of ways: 

• narrative structures 
• narrative endings 
• story beats 
• character arcs 

1. How is the episode, and the way the events unfold within it, structured?

The episode relates to Todorov’s narratology theory as at the beginning of the episode the equilibrium is established through the group of boys playing dungeons and dragons. As the episode continues this equilibrium is disrupted as Will Byers disappears after being chased by an the monster which, after the realisation of the equilibrium, leads to a police investigation. The attempt to resolve the disruption is when the group of boys search for Will. As this is only one episode in the series the disruption has not yet been resolved as Will has not been found which therefore disproves Todorov’s theory. 

2. How does the episode begin and finish? 

The episode begins with an establishing shot of a night sky and a industrial building followed by a tracking shot of a scientist running from the monster. This shot establishes the setting and the villain through what we perceive to be the death of an innocent as the shot changes just before the monster reaches the scientist. The broken lighting and dark atmosphere relates closely to the horror genre and links with 80s films such as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and Alien. The episode then ends with a similar eerie atmosphere as the group of boys search for Will with torches relating to E.T  

3. What are the story beats between the beginning and end of the episode? 

Story beats are the points of action upon which you hang your basic story. When you connect the actual individual action points, they build up to story, like a puzzle. These are the story moments that are the X happens, and then Y happens… and then Z happens… and on.

• The scientist is chased by the monster 
• Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin play dungeons and dragons in Mike's basement. 
• Dustin offers pizza to Nancy
• The boys leave on bikes and argue over comics 
• Will bikes off and falls 
• He is chased by a monster and runs into the shed 
• the light in the shed flashes and Will disappears 
• Joyce Byers rings Karen (Mike's mum) and the disturbance of the equilibrium is established 
• The scene changes to Hopper waking up on a sofa
• He arrives at work to Joyce in a panic about her son
• Mike, Dustin and Lucas arrive at school
• Nancy and Steve 'make out' in the bathroom as Nancy is late for her lesson
• Mr Clarke shows the boys the radio
• The headmaster calls the boys into his office where they are questioned by Hopper
• Eleven runs into a diner and steals chips 
• The chef threatens her then attempts to gain her trust as he rings social services 
• Hopper searches Wills house 

4. How is the pace set by the narrative structure and the events as they unfold? Does this support or challenge the narrative conventions of the genre?

The episode starts with a clear disruption through the escape of the monster onto the suburban streets of 1980s America so the pace of the episode is fast even from the beginning which is common with other sci-fi programmes.

5. Are there multiple story-lines and how are these set up within the narrative structure?  We have the story line of the monster and Eleven escaping from the government lab, as well as the story line of Will being abducted by the monster and his friends and family trying to find him. There is also the story line of Nancy and Steve which shows the audience how normal life still continues even when strange things are happening.

6. How can these help to develop the media form of Long Form TV Drama? It gives the characters more depth as they interact within each others story lines, yet also allows for longer series/more series which means more twists etc. can take place.

7. How can these additional story-lines attract an audience? It means that if an audience member is not so keen on one of the story lines, they are able to watch the show for the other ones and also the multiple plots allows for a bigger range of relatable characters.

8. How does the chosen narrative structure help reinforce the genre conventions (science-fiction/horror) of the product?  By having a big plot point within the first few seconds of the episode it allows for the story to be developed in a big way throughout the episode which links to these two genres as a lot tends to happen that have many explanations.

REPRESENTATION QUESTIONS

How are individuals and social groups represented?

In the first few minutes of the show, we immediately see the different lifestyles the characters have and how it impacts their lives. In this episode, we see that the stereotype of the weird, poor kid is being enforced. Jonathan and Will Byers are growing up with a single mother who is probably working class. We can see this because of when we see the house that Mike Wheeler lives in compared to the house that Will lives in. The Byers boys, especially Jonathan, is portrayed as the social outcast who no one wants to be friends and people make fun of.  Another representation is Lucas, who is the only character of colour that we have seen. He is a rare representation of colour who is enjoying an all-American boyhood, just like his other friends, who are white. Karen Wheeler is shown to be a stereotypical mother, who is concerned about her Nancy and Mike, following the disappearance of Will. Mike is shown to be an optimist, morally compassionate and highly committed to his friends, in the first episode he goes through great lengths to find Will. His Dungeons and Dragons role as the master suggests that he is a creative thinker. Dustin is represented as an observer and a protector of the unity within the friendship group. 

How are the main characters represented through the use of media language? What social groups can they be seen to fall into? 

Jim Hopper is represented as if he lives a carefree existence, but is still haunted his past. We can see this through the first time we are introduced to Hopper, we are shown a drawing which is drawn by a kid, which makes us think if he has child. Then the camera pans around the room, showing us a table with beer cans and pill. This might suggest that he is probably struggling with mental health. The camera continues to pan around the living room, showing us that he is a messy person. We finally see him sleeping on a couch with no top but with jeans on, this probably suggests that he is a lazy person. Throughout the episode he is represented as emotionally reserved  and cynical. As a police chief, he doesn't really care about his job, as he regularly sleeps in and shows up work, and he has an indifference to the cases that are brought to his attention. Such as, Joyce Byers' calling about Will's disappearance.I believe that he is an expect in numbing pain while pretending it doesn't exist.

When we are introduced to Joyce Byers, the camera pans down from the sky to her house, showing us her son and we can hear her shouting and rushing as if she in a hurry. Joyce is represented as a single mother, who is probably working class. She is represented as vulnerable and fragile, yet so fierce and determined.

Which individuals or groups are under-represented in the drama? How do you know? Why might this be? 

The setting is Hawkins, a small Indiana town in the 80's, which would have realistically have a white majority and a few black families. So it is not surprising that there is only one coloured main character. Lucas is represented as an negative person who does not really like that Eleven is part of their 'party'.

What stereotypes are used? Are any of the main characters stereotypical and if so, why might they be represented in this way? How do we respond to them as a viewer as a result?

Are the stereotypes we see used in a positive or negative way? 

How much influence will the producer have had on the way individuals, social groups or social identities are represented? 

Why might the producer have decided to construct this representation? Which aspects of media language are used by the producer to help construct these representations? 

How are events, issues and social identities represented? 

What events or issues are represented? 

Did you already know about these events or issues? Are they usually under-represented or not? Why might they be the focus of representation in this drama?

How true to their historical and socio-cultural contexts are the representations? Do they offer a realistic version of the events/ issues portrayed or a different viewpoint? Why might this be? How does it use media language to achieve this? 

Do you feel the events or issues have been mis-represented in this drama? Is the representation positive or negative? If so, what reasons can you give for this? 

How much influence will the producer have had on the way the events or issues are represented? Why might the producer have decided to construct this representation and what aspects of media language are used to create this?

Context

What is context?

Context in relation to a media text can be broken down into the following: social, historical, cultural, economical and political.

The difference between social and cultural context

Society is a community within which people live and interact with one another. 

Social refers to the people who live in a specific place and interact with one another within the social environment. Social context refers to these people and the structure and function of institutions that operate within a society such as family, education, religion, communications, government etc... It also helps us to understand social conflicts that may arise as a result of the structure, functions and interactions of the people who live within it. We all live our day to day lives in the same society following the same structures and functions. Social context focuses on the relationship between media products and the society within which they are made in relation to social groups, attitudes, changes, conflicts and inequalities.

Culture is the way the different people who live in that society behave - you can have one society or social structure (American, British, Swedish, German) but many cultures or sub-cultures within that society. 

Cultural refers to what creates the identity of the people who live in any given society. Culture refers to the beliefs, meanings and practices that guide the shared behaviour of individuals within a group in any given society. This includes the attitudes, values, habits, customs and traditions of the shared culture. Culture can be seen to include all aspects of ‘life’ including language, the products we make, the things we do and how we do them. There can be lots of different cultures and sub-cultures within a society, which is why we might all behave, think and act a little bit differently even though we are all living our day to day lives in a similar way.

Social Contexts

Knowledge and understanding of the influence of changes in gender roles, of gender, racial and ethnic inequalities, social attitudes to sexualities on television programmes. Knowledge and understanding of the influence of social anxieties and/or contested social values on television programmes, for example the perceived rupturing of the ‘American dream’ illustrated through allegorical representations of social anxieties such as domestic terrorism and surveillance and also more broadly through wider western social values towards security and family and home and the perceived breakdown of the ‘nuclear’ family.

Social Contexts within Stranger Things

The episode intertextually reflects 1980s family and gender relations and is set within a Speilbergian, mostly white, world of suburban family life, representing mothers as figures struggling to hold the family together, fathers as absent or insensitive and distracted, and young boys as establishing a fierce loyalty and masculine camaraderie in the face of a hostile world. Mike’s teenage sister, Nancy, is represented in contradictory ways: she anti-stereotypically excels at science while still fitting stereotypes of the teenage girl (reflecting theories such as Gauntlett). The episode shows the influence of social anxieties about the consequences of scientific experimentation.

1. In which country is the drama set? Indiana, Hawkins.
2. In which country is the drama made? America
3. What is the social identity of the people in the drama? Suburban American families, Small town, White middle class (mainly).
4. Who makes the drama? The Duffer Brothers
5. Are they a small independent organisation or a large multi-national / global conglomerate?  Netflix is a multi-million company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph on August 29, 1997, in Scotts Valley, California. It specialises in and provides streaming media and video-on-demand online and DVD by mail. In 2013, Netflix expanded into film and television production, as well as online distribution. As of 2017, the company has its headquarters in Los Gatos, California.
   The Duffer Brothers also directed the series as they have with other productions of theirs. So Netflix are a large multi national business. 
6. How is the social identity of the country of production reflected in the drama? High budget, dramatised, researchers so probably more realistic.
7. What aspects of social and day to day life are reflected in the drama (being with families, going to school, legal and political systems, being religious etc.)? Joyce Byers is shown as a single mother and it can be argued that Will wouldn't have gone missing if they were in a better financial situation. The school day is introduced by the three remaining boys being harassed by bullies which sets a precedent that the boys find school life to be unenjoyable. The government is shown to be secretive whilst the police system is shown to be lazy through the introduction scene of Hopper.
8. How are these structures reflected in the drama – as usual or to be questioned? The school situation seems relatively normal, yet the legal system shown thought the police department seems questionable as the audience has seen that there is a serious threat to the town, yet the police are lazy so the whole town seems in danger.
9. Is there any social conflict apparent in the drama? Is there any social conflict apparent in the drama? There is only a slight social conflict presented in the drama through two instances; Will's family and the two bullies at school. The lack of a nuclear family creates social conflict as Will does not appear to have a dad who is around and the family is therefore troubled for money. The school bullies cause social conflict through name calling and possible racism as they refer to Lucas as 'Shadow'. 
   
10. How does the drama represent social changes? Social changes are barely represented in the first episode however from a feminist perspective the characters of Nancy and Joyce represent social changes as they go against stereotypes of the time. Nancy represents a strong willed character with a strong  moral compass. Joyce represents a single mother who despite her struggles provides for her family.  

Cultural Contexts

Knowledge and understanding of the influence of national cultures on television programmes, for example the cultural importance of television dramas in reflecting, re-interpreting and re-enforcing national cultural identities and representations of social groups, events and the individuals within those (and on occasion, challenging and subverting those representations to try and instigate cultural change and domestic conversations on representations and identity). Knowledge and understanding of the influence of cultural globalisation and hybridisation on television programmes and recognition that key character types may share certain generic traits in their representations across westernised television culture.

Cultural Context within Stranger Things 

The episode shows the influence of the cultural icon of the American small town community developed by Hollywood cinema, not least in the 1980s. This representation has global recognition (by international audiences used to being positioned as Americans), given the global success of the Hollywood blockbusters of that era.

As reflected in the settings and characters within the drama (1980s): 

What do we see people doing in the drama? 
What attitudes, values, habits, customs and traditions can we see them taking part in that identifies their culture (as American, Germans, Danes etc…)?
What do they wear? 
How do they speak? 
How do they spend their spare and recreational time? 
What do we see them listening to or watching? 
What do they eat? 
Where do they go out? 
How do they interact with one another? 
What values or beliefs are they seen to hold? 
What intertextual references to other cultural products are there? 
How do audiences consume and interact with products (either of the set drama itself or how we see them consuming media within the drama)? 

As reflected at the time of the drama’s production (2016):

How does the set product typify cultural trends and preferences of what audiences like to watch? 
How do audiences consume and interact with the products? How have current cultural trends and uses of technology influenced this? 
How does the viewer’s own cultural background or social identity affect the way in which they may respond to and interpret the drama? 
How does the drama support or reinforce the cultural background of its target audience?

Historical Contexts 
Knowledge and understanding of the influence of key historical events on television programmes, for example, 9/11 and the ‘war on terror’ and how this affected the American psyche and been reflected and re-interpreted through television dramas; for example, how the reunification of Germany influenced the region and has been reflected and re-interpreted through television dramas.

TASK: Answer the following questions for Stranger Things.

When was the drama set? 
What significant events or issues happened politically, socially, culturally at that time? Write a list.
Does the drama represent or refer to any historical events?

Political Contexts 
Knowledge and understanding of the influence of attitudes to politics on television programmes including how television programmes can reflect, reinterpret, amplify and satirise national political institutions and the mechanics of their working, including an understanding that Western programme makers have the freedom to criticise and satirise their own domestic politicians and political systems. A knowledge and understanding of the need for the audience to have political knowledge itself to understand the basis of some representations in political dramas.

Political Context within Stranger Things

The episode reflects anxiety about the power of the central state in relation to the local community: the episode represents a shadowy world of possibly sinister enforcement agents, suggesting an all-powerful secret state, whereas the local police, by contrast, are represented in a humanised way – they are good-natured but made lazy and complacent until forced into action. However, the representations are perhaps deliberately stereotyped for intertextual effect – to recreate the world of 1980s films – which may suggest a more polysemic reading.

TASK: Answer the following questions for Stranger Things.

What is the political context at the time in which the product is set or made (e.g. political leadership at the time, significant political events or issues)? 
Is there any political conflict evident in the drama? 
How does the drama reflect political debates and issues? 
Could the drama be seen to influence political debates and the way in which its viewers may think or feel about these political issues? 
How is political power seen to be used or achieved in the drama? 
Does the drama contribute to shaping ideas about politics and political power? 
How could the political climate in which the audience watch the drama affect their own response?

Economic Contexts 
Knowledge and understanding of the influence of high budgets on flagship television programmes, e.g. the opportunities for character development in ‘authored’ high budget programmes allows for more complex, individualised three-dimensional characterisation rather than stereotyping. Responses may also show knowledge of the disparity between production budgets for US television dramas and European television dramas and their sources of funding and how budget can influence representations through allowing more or less choice to programme makers when constructing representations, for example, with regard to locations, settings, costumes, filming, lighting, sound and editing technology.

Economic Context within Stranger Things 

The episode reflects the continuing success of streaming services such as Netflix who need to maintain the brand with innovative and original programming.

TASK: Answer the following questions for Stranger Things.

How is the company that made the drama funded? 
What income revenues do they have? 
What is the budget for the drama? 
How does the owner(s) of the product use or develop processes of production, distribution and circulation? 
How successful is the company in comparison to others in the market? What profit have they made? 
What technological developments have there been that allows the current processes of production, distribution and circulation? 
What developments in technology may there be that could change processes of production, distribution and circulation?

The contexts in which the drama is set (1980s).

When and where is the drama set? 

What genre is the product?  

What is the political, social and cultural climate that the drama is set in? 

Are there any intertextual references to other media products, historical eras, and social identities?

How are these represented in the drama?

How accurate are these representations to the real event or issue? 

What viewpoint or ideological messages do they offer? 

How may the meanings constructed by the product be interpreted by different audiences? 

The contexts in which the drama is produced (2016).

When and where was the set product produced?  
Jackson, Georgia

Who owns and distributes the set product? 
Netflix

What other dramas do they produce? 
They have produced big series such as The Crown and Riverdale. 

What was the budget for the set product?  

Do the dramas they produce offer similar representations? 

Are there any intertextual references in the first episode of the set product?

How is the set product distributed? On what platforms? 

Is the product available globally? Which countries isn’t it available in and why is this? 

What circulation platforms are there? How is the product viewed and consumed? 

Who is the target audience? Which wider audiences might enjoy the product? 

How can audiences access and consume the set product? 

How was the drama received in different countries? 

How might their viewing contexts affect what they view and how they interact with the product? 

Which factors might affect the interpretation of meaning for different audiences of the same product? 

Realism

1.What is realism and how is it different to reality? 

Realism is the quality or fact of representing a person or thing in a way that is accurate and true to life, and this is different to reality as where as reality is definite, realism is manufactured and is produced to the best of the creators ability to make it seem as if it was reality.

2.How can realism be defined? What is realism and why it is used by media producers?

Media producers use realism to create a world that the audience can immerse themselves in and relate to so that the film etc. that they create is more appealing as it seems realistic.

3.How conventional or important is realism in Long Form TV Drama and the drama’s success? 

It is very important as if there are not elements of realism in the long form TV drama, it would not has the same immersing characteristics, and less people would want to watch something that doesn't seem realistic.

4.How is the drama constructed - how do media producers construct realism? Which elements of media language enable constructed realism to claim to be ‘real’? 

Mise en Scene is very important to constructing realism, as the location and props, as well as the costumes of characters allow for the scenes to feel more realistic.

5.How are the representations of individuals, social groups, social identities, events and issues constructed as real? Refer to specific examples.

Joyce Byers is shown as a single mum, and the director has created a sense of realism by having her house be relatively small and cramped,  showing that as their is only one parent bringing money into the household, they cannot afford a house like the Wheeler's have. This shows that to make things realistic in film, the director will have researchers who will look into the idea they want to make realistic, and create something extremely similar.

Semiotics, Signs and Signifies

What is semiotics and how does it help us analyse and understand representations in the media? 

The study of signs/signals and their significance of understanding what they represent within a media product which helps us to analyse and understand why certain things are put in place.

What are media signs and signifiers? 

In semiotics, a sign communicates a meaning that is not the sign itself to the interpreter of the sign. The meaning can be intentional or unintentional.

The sign is the object or thing being seen. The signifier is the physical existence (sound/word/image) and the signified is the mental concept.

What key signs and signifiers can be seen in episode one of each of the set products? 

One signifier is the use of darkness which can be interpreted into the horror genre in which there are 3 key scenes. One being where Will gets taken by the 'antagonist' which sets the scene for a horror genre. Another scene is the opening with the stars and dark science lab where the lights are flickering which creates a mysterious tone with underlying tension from the unknown of the darkness which emphasises evil, mystery and fear.

Other signifiers in Stranger Things include the different houses, for example, Will has a small bungalow type house with little luxuries which can be interpreted into the idea that Will's family is quite poor, emphasising the reason for being in an 'outcast' group with his friends as they play dungeons and dragons which is seen as geeky as well as their clothing. This, as well as other signs such as the bullies at school, clearly shows that the main group that the audience follows are unpopular which is clearly established. In contrast to Will, Mike

How do these help to communicate messages and values about the individuals, social groups, social identities, events and issues conveyed in the dramas? 

What are connotations? How do the representations offered connote the same or different values, attitudes and ideological beliefs about the world? Why do we recognise these connotations? Are they reinforced across a wide range of media representations or do the representations offer new messages and values?