Post on 28-Sep-2020
HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curry
Genre Conventions, Narrative Structures and
Technical Characteristics of TV Studio Productions
Throughout this essay I will be looking at three different TV studio productions, one high budget,
one medium budget and one low budget. My chosen three productions are: Game of Thrones, The
Great British Bake Off and Mrs. Browns Boys. I will be looking at the genre conventions, narrative
structures and technical characteristics for each of these productions.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a Fictional Historical Fantasy Drama.
“Historical fiction is a type of story or literature told in a variety of media. Stories which are based
on real life historical events and set in historical time and place. However, some characters may
have never existed along with their actions which that are insignificant historically, but may be
included to tell a better story” (Dr Sweetland, R. 2016)
Within Game of Thrones dragons, white walkers and direwolves appear this adds the fantasy
element to the show, along with the fictional setting in a place known as Westeros. The historical
element of the show comes from the “noble houses” for example, Lannister, Targaryen, Stark, and
others. Real historical people and events have inspired some of the houses, characters and battles
1
HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Currywithin Game of Thrones, a few examples of this are: (Blumson, A. 2016)
Brienne of Tarth and Joan of Arc
● Game of Thrones – Brienne: Sword wielding, armor clad, known as the Maid of
Tarth.
● Historical Parallel – Joan of Arc: Referred to herself as “The Maid”. Preferred
wearing male clothing, owned a suit of armor and sword.
The Red Wedding and The Glencoe Massacre
● Game of Thrones – The Red Wedding: Walder Frey disregards ancient laws of
hospitality and slaughters the Starks at the wedding of Rosalind Frey and
Edmure Tully.
Historical Parallel – The Glencoe Massacre: In 1692, the guests that had
accepted their hospitality massacred 38 members of Clan McDonald. (1)
The drama element is achieved through the fact that while within most fantasy shows the danger
would come from the fictional creatures, in game of thrones the danger comes from the scheming
and malevolence of the “noble houses” mentioned above. (Shmoop Editorial Team. 2008).
Game of Thrones has one of the most complex narratives of any TV studio production
with each episode containing a fractured narrative following the stories of many different
characters throughout the seven kingdoms, however this being said each episode adds to the
entire seasons linear narrative with every story adding to the overall penultimate goal of who
will rule of the seven kingdoms and sit the iron throne (Soll, R. 2015). Game of Thrones follows
the lives of many “noble houses” and their conquest for power and ultimately rule of the
kingdoms. Each of these “noble houses’ believes they should rightfully sit the iron throne or
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Currypossibly break off from the seven kingdoms and rule over their own lands. While all of this is
taking place the watchers on the wall are trying to protect the realm from White Walkers and
ultimately the “long night” never ending winter and off in the southern isles Daenerys Targaryen
is trying to make her way back to Westeros and reclaim her rightful seat on the iron throne.
These stories ultimately will conflict for the overall ending of the show.
From season one until season five of Game of Thrones, the pace was quite slow with the
penultimate episode being second to last in each season. Within each season we see stories being
told from various characters’ perspectives with only a few of these characters’ stories
overlapping, resulting in the second to last episode involving but a few of the characters. Each
episode shows pieces of a story that eventually leads up to the main episode in each season,
however the majority of these episodes lack action or excitement making the shows pace quite
slow. This changed in season six with the pace of the show quickening and almost feeling rushed.
Each episode in season six had something exciting happening making viewers anxious in
between episodes, despite this, viewers still felt the season had been rushed in an attempt to
complete the show within a certain time frame. (Poniewozik, J. 2016).
Game of Thrones follows a continuous storyline, with every story within each episode
leading up to a penultimate ending. However, continuity also refers to props, costumes, hair and
make-up within each scene matching up between various shots. A perfect example of this would
be Melisandre’s (the Red Woman) necklace, in episode one of season six it is revealed that when
Melisandre removes her red ruby necklace that her true self is revealed and she becomes a
decrepit old woman, however in episode seven of season four we see Melisandre bathing without
her necklace on and she is still her young self that was depicted previously throughout the show .
(Westbrook, C. 2016). However despite a few minor faults in continuity Game of Thrones
manages to balance continous shots, this can be made difficult to control due to filming taking
3
HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curryplace in many different locations across the world at the same time.
(Season 6, episode 1) (Season 4, episode 7)
With regards to technical characteristics in Game of Thrones for example audio is
captured on set and re-done during the ADR process, this gives the editor the ability to
synchronize without hassle. A sound designer is also present in the production of the show, their
job is to create the sounds for the dragons, wolves and other creatures present within the show,
they have been known to use unusual sources for the dragons stating they used the sound of two
giant tortoises having sex and used this as a basis for the sound of a young dragon purring. (Kim,
J. 2016).
Due to Game of Thrones being filmed on location as well as in studio control of lighting
is not always prevalent. When filming on location often natural lighting is used, however when
filming indoors for scenes that take place in the throne room, inside Winterfell or any other castle
artificial lights are used. This allows the show runners to control how much light is used, whether
it needs to be bright or dim. Having control of lighting during filming comes with many benefits
one being less work in post-production.
Game of Thrones works on a closed set, meaning the only ones allowed on set are crew
members and cast needed for the scenes being filmed. This is due to the nature of the programme
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curryand showrunners wanting to keep things under wraps as much as possible. During the filming of
sex scenes, the set becomes more closed than usual, with only crew members and cast members
being allowed on set. (Greenwood, C. 2014).
HBO and Showrunners use every form of security possible to ensure spoilers do not get
leaked. This is achieved through On site security, select management and internet/computer
security has been upgraded to stop leaks. In an interview showrunner David Benioff stated that
“security had been tightened within the crew as well, fewer people received scripts and code
words were often used when discussing scenes and characters” (2) (Renfro, K. 2016).
Within Game of Thrones health and safety is taken very seriously. Sets must be checked
and double checked to ensure they are safe for cast members, leads cables and wires must be
kept either tight to the ground or wrapped around cameras to ensure no one falls on set.
Paramedics are kept on location and on set to ensure that if anyone does get injured they have
the help and care needed straight away.
The Great British Bake Off
The Great British Bake Off is a British baking competition making its genre Game Show.
“Game shows have been a distinct genre for decades, starting with radio quiz shows and evolving
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curryinto spectacular prime time extravaganzas. In 2000 a new format, reality television, came along
and blurred the lines somewhat” ( Grosvenor, C. 2016)
At the beginning twelve contestants enter the competition tent and each week someone
is sent home until three people are left for the finale. Each week contestants must make three
separate bakes that have been pre-chosen by the judges. Contestants are then judged on the
quality, presentation and taste of their individual bakes. (Anon. 2010).
Narrative structure and content in GBBO is a baking competition in which twelve contestants
are challenged each week to bake different foods, this includes cakes, pastries, biscuits and bread,
the completed results are then judged by Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. Each week the episode
will fit with a certain theme and the contestants must bake a variety of foods within each
challenge, these have been pre-chosen by Mary and Paul, within each episode three challenges
are to be completed and the contestants must use the ingredients provided to create their own
recipes. Each challenge is then judged and the person who has done the best out of the three
challenges will be awarded ‘star baker’, the person who Mary and Paul believe has done the
worst each week will be sent home. This happens until only three contestants are left for the
finale and one will be crowned ‘Britain’s best amateur baker’ will the other two contestants will
be runners up. (Anon. 2016).
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curry
Each episode of the Great British Bake Off duration is one hour long; the actual
challenges takes much longer so it is edit to show how the contestants managed the baking tasks.
The result of this is that every episode of GBBO has the same steady pace, each challenge is
dedicated fifteen minutes of screen time, showing the bakers working on their dishes and fifteen
minutes is dedicated to judging. This helps the flow and pace of the show, allowing everything to
be shown within allocated times, thus making the show more appealing and enjoyable for the
audience.
The show follows a continuous story each
week, as we watch the progression of the
contestants and whether they progress to the finale or
leave each week. For continuity purposes contestants are asked to wear the same outfit on both
Saturday and Sunday during filming (Law, R. 2016), this is so the show has a seamless continuous
flow within each episode.
Technical Characteristics of the GBBO are that it’s filmed in a tent in the middle of a
field that acts as a TV studio all contestants, presenters and judges are fitted with collar
microphones, this allows the producers to control the audio of the show. The tent was also
custom built to be sound proof; this was to reduce the disruption of audio due to potential
disruption due to conditions common in British weather.
For control of lighting electrical engineers were hired to custom make lighting
equipment that would fit into the roof of the tent, this lighting is powered by generators that are
set outside of the tent. The custom lighting provides even lighting throughout the entire tent, so
7
HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Currythat during filming nothing is too dark. The tent is set up so that nothing is out of sight from the
lighting system so that everything that needs to be in shot will be lit evenly. (Anon, 2014).
The Great British Bake Off is filmed on a
closed set, this means that only people aloud
to step foot within the famous white tent are
the contestants, presenters, judges and
crewmembers. While the Bake Off looks calm on screen, behind the cameras there could be up to
fifty crewmembers running around. (Law, R. 2016). With it being a closed set the producers can
also control exactly how the set is decorated and what they are willing to show on screen.
Within The Great British Bake Off health & Safety regulations are overseen by a UK
company known as Beyond Dispute, this company has worked on various popular reality TV
shows and they offer a wide range of services. (Beyond Dispute Ltd. 2016). As Bake Off is a
cooking show health & safety measures must be in place to ensure the safety of cast and crew,
this means all ovens must be tested every day, all electrical equipment must be secured and safe,
cameras and cables must be placed in safe places to ensure no one trips, all of this is provided by
Beyond Dispute Ltd.
Mrs. Brown’s Boys
Mrs. Browns Boys is an Irish sitcom comedy show filmed in front of a live audience.
“While sitcoms come in a wide variety of situational flavors, the choice of technical styles is more
8
HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Currylimited. Sitcoms are typically filmed on set in front of a live studio audience, filmed on set without an
audience (and in some cases a laugh track) or filmed on location.” (Fordham Metz, W. 2016)
Due to the show being an Irish sitcom, Irish slang is often used along with slapstick
humour that people from other countries may not fully understand. As Mrs. Brown’s Boys is
filmed in front of a live audience, mistakes are often kept in during broadcast, this adds to the
humour of the show.
The narrative structure and content is based on stereo typical characters in an Irish
family headed by Mrs. Brown. It is an Irish sitcom starring Brendan O’Carroll as Agnes Brown, an
Irish ‘mammy’ who’s favourite pass time is meddling in the lives of her five children, Cathy
Brown (Jennifer Gibney, O’Carroll’s wife), Dermot Brown (Paddy Houlihan), Rory Brown (Rory
Cowan), Mark Brown (Pat Shields) and Trevor Brown (Martin Delany). It also stars Danny
O’Carroll, Brendan’s son who plays troublemaker Buster Brady, Dermot’s best friend in the show
and Eilish O’Carroll, Brendan’s sister who plays Winnie McGoogan, Agnes’s best friend and
partner in crime. (Anon. 2011).
Mrs. Brown’s Boys is a fast paced show; this is due to the episodes only being half an
hour in length. Within each show we begin in the kitchen of the Brown household, often we are
quickly taken into the living room and to the pub known as Foley’s. Due to the length of each
episode a full storyline will often be crammed into a short half an hour stint. However, this being
said, the show never feels rushed and manages to keep its humoristic nature despite being fast
paced.
With the low budget nature of Mrs. Brown’s Boys the show often does not follow a
continuous storyline, with something different taking place in each episode. As the show is also
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curryfilmed in front of a live audience and the nature of the show is to use mistakes as extra humour
within each episode, continuity often does not pose a problem for Mrs. Brown’s Boys and breaks
in the continuity are often used to great effect to add to the show.
Technical characteristics and control of sound are as it is filmed within a TV studio
setting, this gives the show runners the ability to control the sound that is used for broadcasting.
The cast are equipped with collar microphones, which are often noticeable within each episode.
Shotgun microphones are also used during production for added audio effects. Shotgun
microphones are also used to capture audience laughter, this is then translated to the audience at
home when they are supposed to laugh or find something funny. Without a live audience’s
laughter, the show would not have the same effect with home audiences.
Control of Lighting as Mrs. Brown’s Boys is filmed in a studio setting within the BBC,
lots of studio lighting is used. These lights are located on the roof of the studio and are used,
along with standing barn door lights and softboxes to ensure the set is properly lit. With it being
filmed within an indoor studio this gives the lighting technicians the ability to properly light the
set without worrying about outdoor light interfering.
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curry
Control of Set Mrs. Brown’s Boys is filmed in what is known as an open set, however that being
said the live audience works on a ticketing process, meaning if you wish to be a part of the live
audience for filming you must apply and purchase tickets. (Fraser, G. 2016). Another pro of Mrs.
Brown’s Boys being filmed within a BBC studio is that the show runners/producers have
complete control over the overall set and setup of the show, this means the set can be left up
within the studio until filming is complete and can be taken down and re-set for each season, they
also have control over what will appear within shot.
Due to Mrs. Brown’s Boys being a BBC production the show must follow the BBC’s health &
Safety guidelines, meaning everything must be checked and re-checked to ensure the safety of
cast, crew and audience. This means ensuring all equipment is functioning correctly, cables and
wires are secured to ensure no one trips and falls, all fire hazards must be taken care off and fire
exits must be within sight. (BBC. 2016).
Conclusion
Throughout this assignment I have come to the understanding that a TV studio production is
easier managed. I have also come to the understanding that despite a shows production value
and budget, that genre setup, narrative and technical characteristics are all a vital part of any
studio production. I believe that throughout this essay my knowledge has been widened on this
subject and I now have a better understanding of how a Television Studio Production is created
and the work that goes into creating some of the nation’s favourite TV shows.
Bibliography
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha CurryUniversity, Inc. Available at:
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HNCY1 Creative Media ProductionUnit 34 & 2: Television Studio
Production & ResearchLecturers: Patsy Mullan & Jim Doherty
Student: Natasha Curryhttp://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/game-of-thrones-naked-sex-scene-3302500
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