YEAR 11 GCSE MEDIA STUDIES
REVISION BOOKLET
TV CRIME DRAMA
In the exam you will get 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete 4 questions. We do not yet know what
these questions will be but they will cover the various elements of TV Crime Dramas that we have
covered during the GCSE course.
WHAT COULD THEY ASK YOU ABOUT?
They could ask you to answer a question about anything we have learned about TV Crime
Dramas including the following topics:
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Conventions of TV Crime Dramas including describing the genre, typical characters, typical
narrative structure etc (including why these things are used, why the audience like them etc)
Stereotyping and Representation of women, men, heroes, villains, ethnic minorities, and
disabled people in TV Crime Dramas (including the effects on the audience, and why they are
used)
Discuss why TV Crime Dramas are so popular / why people watch them
Discuss why some people criticise TV Crime Dramas (including violent scenes and the effects
on the audience)
Discuss institutions that make TV Crime Dramas including the way they schedule them, the
way they market them etc
Your own idea for an TV Crime Drama series / episode
To design some marketing materials for your own TV Crime Drama show
On the following pages is a breakdown of each of the above bullet points with some ideas for you to
think about. If you get asked any of these questions in the exam you MUST be able to back up your
response with examples from REAL TV Crime Dramas..
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CONVENTIONS OF TV CRIME DRAMA SHOWS INCLUDING TYPICAL CHARACTERS,
TYPICAL STORYLINES ETC
A convention is a “common feature”. Something that makes it identifiable as a TV Crime Drama
show. A bit like an ingredient in a recipe. So for this question you must think about what features
of a programme might tell you it is a TV Crime Drama (what ingredients go in to making a Crime
Drama show)? In this table is a list of common conventions of TV Crime Drama shows. Where there
are blank spaces you should try filling in an example from real crime drama programmes that you
could use in your essay to illustrate your point.
CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERS OF
TV CRIME DRAMAS
(including Vladimir Propp’s Character Ideas)
EXAMPLE YOU COULD USE
FROM A REAL TV CRIME
DRAMA SHOW
HERO – normally geeky, antisocial, very clever, logical, able to solve
cases that other people can’t, often flawed (eg violent, drug addict,
haunted by their past, has nightmares, has evil thoughts, etc). Could
be a policeman, a private detective, a normal person, or even a group
of people etc. Could be a man OR a woman. Their role is to
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VILLAIN – The criminal in the show often changes from episode to
episode, has no loyalty to anyone even his criminal associates, often
makes silly mistakes such as leaving DNA behind, often thinks they are
invincible and boasts of the crime. Often confesses at the end and
explains exactly how they committed the crime. They commit crimes
because they want money, power, or revenge. Sometimes the criminal
is someone who has just got caught up in a crime of passion because
they have had a difficult life. The purpose of having a “criminal” in the
show is:
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PRINCESS / PRIZE - sometimes a woman / man appears in the show
who is the “prize” for the hero solving the crime. They could be a
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romantic interest for him/her. However often in TV Crime Dramas
there is no princess or if there is, the hero very rarely “gets the girl”
and instead the hero gets some sort of “prize” for solving the case
DISPATCHER – someone who sends the hero on their quest by giving
them the case or telling them about the case. They could be a friend, a
colleague, or more often than not, the chief or the boss of the hero.
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DONOR – someone who helps the hero on their quest by giving them
an item, information, clue or advice which will help them to solve the
crime
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FALSE HERO – someone who tries to take the credit for the hero’s work
or who seems like a good person but turns out to be bad
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VILLAIN’S CRIMINAL ASSOCIATES. They are often quite nasty people
too and are often represented as being quite stupid. Quite often they
will get killed in the course of the episode, sometimes by the villain
themselves as they try and cover up their crime
SIDEKICK / FRIEND OF THE HERO – someone who helps the hero to
solve a crime. They are an important role because they:
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LAWYERS / JUDGES – People that work in courtrooms to defend or
prosecute a suspect in a trial
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POLICE / FBI - The official people who investigate crimes. The FBI are
more senior than police officers.
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MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS eg pathologist, doctor, CSI – They use the
medical knowledge to help solve crimes. For example a pathologist is
the person that carries out the autopsy on the body to work out how
they died.
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WITNESSES – people who might have seen something important. The
hero would interview them to find out if what they had seen might be
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useful
SUSPECTS – someone who the hero thinks might have committed the
crime. The hero would interview them and try and eliminate them as
suspects until he is left with just one. Suspects are important because:
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THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL CHARACTERS IN A SHOW IS….
EXAMPLE YOU CAN USE FROM A REAL TV
CRIME DRAMA EPISODE
CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURE
(including Propp’s Ideas and Todorov’s ideas)
Main character is going about his normal life
(equilibrium).
Some crime dramas start with equilibrium where
everything is normal and happy.
A problem is introduced which needs solving (disruption)
Many crime dramas start with the disruption (the
problem (crime). The reason many crime drama
programmes START with the disruption is:
The hero sets out on his quest to try and solve the crime
(attempt to repair)
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A rule or a warning is given to the hero that they normally
ignore
The hero meets a “donor” that gives them useful
information, or advice that helps them solve the crime
The hero encounters a lot of problems along the way such
as strange clues, aggressive suspects, red herrings etc
The hero solves the crime and confronts the villain
(resolution)
The hero goes home successful and the villain is punished
or brought to justice. (Equilibrium again)
It is important to go back to equilibrium at the end again
because:
_______________________________________________
Some crime dramas have an OPEN NARRATIVE structure
where we know who the killer is at the beginning and the
show follows the law enforcement officers trying to prove
it was them
Some Crime Dramas have a CLOSED NARRATIVE structure
where the show features clues and we only find out the
killer or criminal right at the end
THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURES IN A
SHOW IS….
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CONVENTIONAL SET PIECES (regular parts of the
story)
EXAMPLE YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV
CRIME DRAMAS
A BODY IS DISCOVERED
AUTOPSY IS CARRIED OUT
PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONED
FIST FIGHTS / GUN BATTLES
CAR CHASES
ARREST IS MADE
SUSPECT QUESTIONED
SUSPECT CONFESSES OR GOES TO TRIAL IN A
COURTROOM
ENIGMA AND SUSPENSE – Enigma means “mystery” and
is a phrase used by a man called Roland Barthes. He
thinks that a good story should involve a lot of “enigma”
and suspense to keep the audience guessing about what
happened and who did it. So TV Crime Dramas often
include lots of “unanswered questions” such as who did
it? Why? How? Enigma and suspense are important in
crime dramas because:
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RED HERRINGS – Red Herring is a phrase used to describe
a clue that leads the hero to temporarily make the wrong
conclusion about who is guilty. For example a fingerprint
might make the police think a particular person
committed the crime for a while but actually it was
someone else and this becomes clear later on. A red
herring is important because:
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CLIFFHANGERS – When something exciting is about to
happen and before it does, the show suddenly goes to an
advert break or the episode ends and you have to wait till
after the break or until the next episode to find out what
is going to happen
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Some shows include cliffhangers at the end because:
_______________________________________________
BINARY OPPOSITIONS – a phrase used by a theorist called
Levi-Strauss. Binary Oppositions means “two things that
are total opposites but are linked in some way”. For
example, he thinks stories are filled with binary
oppositions of themes such as Good vs Evil. These themes
can be seen as central to every tv crime drama.
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THE REASON IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL SET PIECES IN A SHOW IS….
1)
2)
EXAMPLES YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV
CRIME DRAMA SHOWS
CONVENTIONAL STYLE OF FILMING & EDITING
LOCATIONS – Some locations are commonly found in TV
Crime Dramas such as the interview room, the court room,
the autopsy room or the police squad meeting room.
Wider locations depend on the programme.
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City Based Crime Dramas – cities, streets, alleyways,
underground stations, trains, buses, car parks etc
Country Based Crime Dramas – Farms, villages, pubs,
countryside, parks
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PROPS / COSTUMES – Guns, Bombs, torches, notepads,
Uniforms, medical instruments
LIGHTING –
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City Based Crime Dramas - Often quite dark and dingy
lighting to create a grimy dangerous feel. Often strange
and unusual lights such as torch lights, UV lights, etc
Country Based Crime Dramas – warm lighting to show the
beautiful countryside
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CAMERA WORK –
City Based Crime Dramas - Often handheld shots that are
quite shaky, lots of moving tracking shots so we can follow
car chases and characters etc
Country Based Crime Drams – slow panning shots to allow
us to see the countryside & landscapes
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EDITING –
City Based Crime Dramas - Fast paced editing so that the
show is fast paced and creates a feeling of adrenalin for
the audience
Country Based Crime Dramas – Slower editing to create a
sleepy, calm feel
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SOUND –
City Based Crime Dramas - Tense, fast and dramatic music
is often used. And the dialogue (words spoken) is often
quick, and filled with police / crime jargon (technical
language) as well as working class slang.
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Country Based Crime Dramas – classical and orchestral
music. The dialogue is often polite and formal to show the
middle class characters.
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SPECIAL EFFECTS & STUNTS City Based Crime Dramas - there are normally lots of
special effects such as impressive graphics, fight
sequences, car chases, gun fights and gory make up that
create an adrenalin rush in the audience. Characters even
use “made up” technology such as virtual reality
computers where the graphics appear in mid air
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Country Based Crime Dramas – there are normally very
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few special effects. These dramas rely more on characters
and scripting to develop the story rather than shock tactics
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REALISM – A style of filming and editing that is very
“realistic”. This might involve using hand held camera
shots, characters based on real people, cases based on
real cases, real locations (as opposed to sets), realistic
dialogue etc. It makes the drama more “real”.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AMERICAN AND BRITISH TV CRIME DRAMAS
AMERICAN CRIME DRAMAS
BRITISH CRIME DRAMAS
High Budgets – high production values
Low budgets – low production values
Example:
Example:
More special effects
Less special effects, more realistic
Example:
Example:
More dramatic moments such as stunts, car
chases, etc
Less dramatic moments.
Example
Example:
Narrative Driven – the shows often revolve
around the crime and special effects
Character driven – the shows often revolve
around the central character and their
emotions and behaviour
Example:
Example:
Higher levels of violence
Lower levels of violence
Example:
Example:
Essay style questions to practise doing in 20 minutes for this topic for revision purposes:
1) Describe what an audience should expect when watching a TV Crime Drama
2) The same sort of characters tend to appear in all TV Crime Drama shows. Explain the
different characters you would expect to encounter in a TV Crime Drama and give examples
from real shows.
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3) How important are the criminals in a TV Crime Drama? Explain your answer using examples
4) What are the 3 most important key types of character in a Crime Drama and what are their
roles in the plot? Why are they important?
5) TV Crime Drama shows all follow a very simple plot. Explain this usual conventional
narrative structure using examples.
6) What are the main conventions of the TV Crime Drama genre?
7) Why do you think crime drama shows follow a particular style of filming?
8) Describe the style of some TV Crime Dramas you have seen
9) What are the main differences between American and British TV Crime Dramas?
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STEREOTYPING AND REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN, MEN, ETHNIC
MINORITIES, DISABLED PEOPLE AND OTHER GROUPS IN TV CRIME DRAMA
SHOWS
Stereotype – an exaggerated view of a type of person based on assumptions about their gender,
age, ethnic group etc. So for example, a stereotypical teenager would be someone who wears a
hoodie, carried a knife, swears at old people, hates school and commits crimes.
Conventional / Stereotypical Representation – A person shown in a stereotypical way. For
example in many TV Crime Dramas, people from ethnic minorities are often shown as being
criminals or bad people.
Unconventional / Non-Stereotypical Representation – A person shown in a non stereotypical way.
For example in many TV Crime Dramas, women are often shown as strong, dominant, clever and
powerful.
TYPE OF PEOPLE
WAY THEY ARE OFTEN REPRESENTED IN TV
CRIME DRAMAS
MEN
Men are often represented in TV Crime Dramas in
a mixture of STEREOTYPICAL and NON
STEREOTYPICAL WAYS. They are sometimes
shown as aggressive, antisocial, and angry which
is stereotypical of men.
As well as this, they are often shown as being
quite weak, quite geeky, and often fail to get the
girl because they know nothing about the
opposite sex which is non-stereotypical of men
WOMEN
ETHNIC
MINORITIES
EXAMPLES OF REAL CHARACTERS
YOU CAN USE FROM REAL TV
CRIME DRAMAS
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Women are often represented in TV Crime
Dramas in a NON-STEREOTYPICAL WAY. They are
shown as powerful, dominant, strong, clever, and
easily able to do just as well as men, if not better
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People from ethnic minorities (eg black, asian,
muslim people) are often represented in TV crime
Dramas in a STEREOTYPICAL WAY. They are
shown in a negative way as bad, aggressive,
involved in crime, terrorism.
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Some say that people from ethnic minorities are
rarely shown in lead roles and if they are included
in the show they are often in “supporting roles” as
part of a team. Most of these ethnic minorities
are black.
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There are a FEW lead detectives or heroes who
are from ethnic minorities
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Some people argue that some ethnic minorities
are NOT REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime
Dramas. For example, there are virtually NO
Asian, Indian or Chinese characters in TV Crime
Dramas. If they ARE in a show, they are often
shown as being computer experts.
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DISABLED PEOPLE Some people argue that disabled people are NOT
REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime Dramas. They
are rarely shown at all on screen. There are only a
small handful of examples of characters in TV
Crime Dramas who have any kind of disability but
not nearly as many as have them in real life.
Characters with physical disabilities eg in a
wheelchair) are rarely shown, but when they are,
they are often shown as being weaker than non
disabled characters. Their disability often gets in
the way of their job.
Characters with sensory disabilities eg deaf, blind
are very rarely shown but when they are, they are
often shown as being weaker than non disabled
characters. Their disability often gets in the way
of their job.
Characters with mental disabilities eg autism,
aspergers are shown more often than other
disabilities. Their disability is often shown as an
advantage to them in terms of solving crimes as it
seems to make them more intelligent or better at
being logical / factual. However they are still
shown as being physically weaker as other
characters and are often limited to office based
roles and are very rarely the characters doing the
physical chase scenes etc.
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SEXUALITY
CRIMINALS
Some people argue that gay, lesbian and bi-sexual
people are NOT REPRESENTED AT ALL in TV Crime
Dramas. They are rarely shown at all on screen.
There have only recently been a couple of main
characters in TV Crime Dramas who have been
gay, lesbian or bi-sexual. If a gay character IS
shown in a crime drama show, they often keep
their sexuality a secret to MOST of their
colleagues. Therefore crime drama tv shows
might suggest to an audience that being gay is
something that should be hidden, or something to
be ashamed of.
Criminals are often represented as:
Aggressive
Greedy
Sneaky
Misguided
Clever
Stupid
Ethnic Minorities
Have dark pasts with secrets or painful memories
Binary Opposites to the police / detectives
POLICE
Police & Detectives are often represented as:
Incompetent (the supporting police officers who
employed the main detective)
Rude
Lonely
White / Middle Class
Binary opposites to the criminals
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Questions to practise doing in 20 minutes for this topic for revision purposes:
1) TV Crime Dramas are often said to contain stereotypical characters. How far do you agree
with this statement? Use examples.
2) Why are stereotypes often used in television programmes? Give examples of characters you
know about and discuss why they might appeal to an audience
3) Discuss how men and women are usually represented differently in TV Crime Dramas
4) Some people say that people from ethnic minorities are often “demonised” in TV Crime
Dramas and portrayed in a negative way. What is your opinion?
5) Women in TV Crime Dramas have often been shown as strong and dominant; however there
are very few CURRENT TV Crime Dramas with women in lead roles. Do you agree? Give
examples to back up your points.
6) Some social groups are under-represented in TV Crime Drama. Do you agree? Discuss,
giving examples.
7) Explain how women, ethnic minorities and disabled people are represented in TV Crime
Dramas
8) What is the difference in the way police and criminals are represented in TV Crime Dramas?
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AUDIENCES
Audience – the people who watch the programme
Target Audience – the people who the show is actually AIMED at
The target audience for TV Crime Dramas will vary from show to show. This might depend on the
time it is shown, the channel it is shown on, the actors that star in it, the topics it covers, the kind of
crime it contains, the style it is shot in, the country it was made it etc..
Socioeconomic Profile – the description of the audience’s education, job and income.
Psychographic Audience Profile – a description of the audience’s lifestyle, attitudes and activities.
For example, the audience psychographic profile of a show may include people who enjoy fast
paced dramatic moments, action and thrills.
Demographic Audience Profile – a description of the audience’s factual information such as their
age, gender, class, marital status etc.
Look at the table below and try to fill in the blank boxes
TV CRIME DRAMA
TARGET AUDIENCE
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Socioeconomic profile:
Psychographic Profile:
Demographic Profile:
Murder She Wrote
Socioeconomic profile: older
people with jobs as
housewives, pensioners. They
have a relatively high
socioeconomic status as they
will me mainly middle class
rather than working class.
Psychographic Profile:
audiences who enjoy slow
paced drama, comedy
moments, cosy mysteries,
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REASONS THEY PARTICULARLY
ENJOY IT
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Hollywood actor in the
lead role
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Fast Paced
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Lots of action
Demographic Profile: Mostly
women aged 40-60
Luther
Socioeconomic profile:
Psychographic Profile:
Demographic Profile:
Socioeconomic profile:
Psychographic Profile:
Demographic Profile:
Socioeconomic profile:
Psychographic Profile:
Demographic Profile:
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POPULARITY OF TV CRIME DRAMAS
TV Crime Drama shows are very popular with audiences. Below is the list of some of the most
popular and recent successful TV Crime Drama shows:
US SHOWS
CSI
Numb3rs
NCIS
Bones
Dexter
Columbo
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The Mentalist
Criminal Minds
UK SHOWS
Sherlock
Miss Marple
Midsomer Murders
Jonathan Creek
A Touch Of Frost
Inspector Morse
Spooks
Hustle
Luther
If you get asked about the reasons Crime Drama shows are thought to be so popular or why
audiences enjoy them, you should try and include all of the following reasons, using examples of real
films where possible.
REASON AUDIENCES LIKE CRIME DRAMAS
EXAMPLE
Enigma – Audiences watch for the mystery of trying to work
out why committed the crime, why they did it, how they did
it etc.
Write down an example of an enigma you
have noticed in a particular show
More Entertaining than real life – the crimes are more
exciting than real crimes, the makers are able to edit out
the boring bits, the paperwork etc
Write down the name of the show which
makes crime seem exciting and entertaining
Thrilling action sequences with adrenalin pumping stunts
and chase sequences
Write down the name of a show which
features thrilling action sequences
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Special effects such as gory bodies and wounds which will
shock and excite audiences
Write down a special effect you have seen in
a TV Crime Drama. What show was it in?
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Audiences are sadistic – We often enjoy watching bad
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Write down something bad that happened to
things happen to other people because it makes us feel
better that our own lives aren’t as bad as theirs and some
say we enjoy watching other people suffer!
characters in a Crime Drama that you have
seen that audiences might have enjoyed
watching. What show was it from?
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Allows us to see things we wouldn’t normally see! – In
crime dramas the audience is able to see people they would
never normally get to see eg criminals and police. We get
to see their hidden lives.
Write down an example of a show which
allows us to see the hidden dealings of police
or criminals
Crime Dramas allow us to live vicariously – Audiences
watch the shows and are able to experience emotions and
feelings like fear, danger, dread, that they wouldn’t
normally be able to or want to experience in real life. The
shows also allow us to watch things we couldn’t normally
do, like shootings, chases etc. It allows audiences
experience all these things from the comfort and safety of
their own sofas
We like justice! – Audiences enjoy seeing that crime
doesn’t pay and that justice is always done. We like the
happy endings where the bad guys get caught and are
punished.
Write down the name of a show that allows
us to feel scared and excited
Identity – Often audiences enjoy being able to put
themselves into the shoes of the main characters and
imagine “what would I do in that situation”
Write down an example of a scene in a show
where you think audiences might watch and
wonder what they would do in that situation
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Write down an example of justice being done
in a Crime Drama. What show was it from?
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Information – We can learn a lot from Crime Dramas about
science, forensics, laws etc. It is important to note that not
all the information given out in Crime Dramas is accurate
and a lot is made up for the show
Write down an example of a scene in a show
where you think the audience might have
learned something
Relationships / Social Interaction – Often we feel like we
have personal relationships with the main characters as
they re-appear every week, and we get to know them. We
find out about their personal lives, their relationships, their
weaknesses. We start to care about them and if our friends
enjoy the same shows we can discuss the show with them
and feel like part of a community of fans
Write down the name of a character from a
show where you think audiences feel very
strongly about the character. Give a reason
why we like them.
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Questions to practise with
1) Discuss the factors that affect who watches particular crime dramas
2) Describe the different audiences of crime drama shows you have watched and explain why
that audience enjoys them
3) Why are some crime dramas popular? Give examples of shows you have watched.
VIOLENCE IN TV CRIME DRAMAS
TV Crime dramas often show violent scenes. Write down a list of 4 violent scenes you have seen, (or
know about) in TV Crime Drama shows
NAME OF SHOW
EXAMPLE OF VIOLENT SCENE
SPOOKS Series 1 Episode 2
One of the main characters was killed off by having her hand and then
her head shoved in a pot of boiling oil (essentially deep frying her!)
Some people say that the media affects our behaviour and actions. They think that watching the
violence in these shows may make us more violent in real life, or make us think that violence wasn’t
that bad in real life. Some people called Bandura, Ross and Ross carried out research that showed
that children who viewed violence on screen, were more likely to be violent in real life. Other people
say their research is not valid because, it is impossible to know whether the shows they watched
really did cause the violence, or whether the children they interviewed were influenced in another
way. They also think that because the research was carried out in a laboratory, it isn’t valid because a
laboratory is not like real life and people involved in the research might just have been saying what
the researchers wanted to hear.
Questions to Practise with:
1) Discuss how violent TV Crime Dramas actually are and what effects the violence might
have on an audience
2) Is the violence in TV Crime Dramas realistic?
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INSTITUTIONS – SCHEDULING AND MARKETING
Institution – Another word for company
In the table below, try and fill in what you know about the programmes different channels make
CHANNEL
3 TV CRIME
DRAMAS IT
SHOWS
TYPE OF TV CRIME DRAMA IT
SEEMS TO PREFER (location,
style, type of crime etc)
BBC 1
Spooks
Programmes tend to be British,
based mainly in London.
Programmes tend to show
middle and upper class
detectives
Luther
New Tricks
REASON IT SHOWS
MAINLY THESE TYPES OF
PROGRAMME
ITV
Five & Five
USA
Part of UKTV a big British
Network that is owned by
the BBC.
Alibi
FX
Up to date, recent expensive
shows with big budgets. Mainly
American, mainly made by FOX
TV.
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FX is part of the FOX
Network which is a large
successful company. This
means they have a lot of
money to make and show
expensive big budget
shows.
TECHNIQUES INSTITUTIONS USE TO
ENSURE A PROGRAMME IS SUCCESSFUL
EXAMPLE
Hammocking – a technique of scheduling a
programme between two already popular
programmes in the hope that it too will become
popular.
An example of a TV Crime Drama programme
that has been hammocked between two other
popular programmes is:
The programmes it has been hammocked
between are:
The channel / day these are on is:
Clustering – a technique of scheduling similar
programmes next to each other in the hope that
audiences from other similar shows will watch
your show.
An example of a TV Crime Drama programme
that has been clustered together with other TV
Crime Dramas is:
The TV Crime dramas it has been clustered with
are:
The channel /day these are on is:
Cloning – creating a show that is very similar to
one already successful in the hope it will also be
successful
An example of shows that are VERY similar to
each other on television are CSI and NCIS. Both
feature teams of investigators working in
America, to solve crimes. Some of the characters
are virtually identical and the title is very similar
which may confuse some audiences.
Franchising – creating spin off shows to make
even more money from one idea. For example
another show with the same name, set in
another city with different characters.
An example of a TV Crime Drama show that has
been franchised to create a spin off show is:
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Could also include creating other media products
related to your show. Such as video games, or
apps
An example of a show that has a video game or
app is:
Making use of new technologies – many
audiences are now using new technologies so
institutions HAVE to use them in the marketing of
their programmes to ensure they get the
audience viewing figures. They create websites,
phone apps, downloadable items, facebook
pages, twitter accounts, blogs
Crime drama show with a blog:
Crime Drama show with a Facebook page:
Crime Drama show with a Twitter Account:
Crime Drama show with a phone app:
Other marketing materials - Create a range of
See pages later in the booklet for information on
marketing materials such as trailers, posters, DVD these...
Covers, billboard adverts, magazine adverts, etc
Watershed – the time at which you can start to show more violence, sex, drug taking, etc in a
programme. Currently 9pm as people believe younger children will be in bed by then.
Deciding when to schedule a programme for is very important. Look at the typical timetable below
for what happens in a home:
6am-8am = kids watching TV, getting ready for school.
8am-3pm = kids at school, mums and older people and unemployed people are at home during the
day. Other adults are at work all day
3pm-6pm = Kids are doing homework, playing games, watching TV. Adults are often still at work.
6pm-8pm = Many adults watch the news, have dinner etc.. Younger children go to bed.
8pm-9pm = Older children stay up and they and adults watch television
9pm-11pm = Most children now in bed. Teenagers and adults watch tv
11pm onwards = Most adults and teens in bed as they have work or school the next day
As the producers of a programme you would be able to suggest to a channel the best time and day to
show your programme on. Now imagine you are making a new Crime Drama show. Using all the
techniques you have read about in the last few pages, what channel, day and time would you suggest
showing the following made up programmes? Why?

The Criminal – Fast paced, high action, show, filmed and set in America, with some violence
and swearing

London Town – Thrilling crime drama show, filmed and set in London, with some violence and
swearing
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
Maggie and Sue – Slow paced, country based crime drama about two older women who solve
murders in the local village
Questions to practise with
1) Why is scheduling so important for TV Crime Dramas? Use examples of real shows where
possible.
2) Discuss the factors that producers might consider when deciding when and where to schedule
a new programme. Use examples where possible.
3) What can institutions do to ensure the success of a programme they make?
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PITCHING YOUR IDEA
When replying to the set material, you will have to pitch your own idea for a TV Crime Drama series.
You will only get 20 minutes to do this. Responding in character will get you more marks (eg “Dear
BBC, thank you for your letter, etc”) Make sure you pay attention in the exam to what information
they ask you to include. It is likely to be some of the following information so try and include the
following if they ask you for details of your show.







Title
Target Audience
Main Characters & why they would appeal to an audience
Locations
Style of filming (camera, editing, sound)
Type of crime they will solve
Channel it would be shown on and why, and scheduling information (eg what time it would be
on and why)
Why it will be popular / successful

By the time you get to the exam you MUST have your idea for your TV Crime Drama fully planned out
and be able to do the following:











Reply to letter or email pitching your own idea for your TV Crime Drama in detail including
most of the above information
Draw the poster for a billboard to advertise your programme
Draw a magazine advert to advertise your programme
Draw the DVD cover for your programme
Draw the website design for your programme
Do a storyboard for the opening sequence to your programme
Do a storyboard for the trailer for your programme
Write a script for a scene from your crime drama series
Design the front cover for a TV magazine advertising your programme
Design a page / article from inside a TV magazine reviewing your programme or interviewing
one of the cast etc
Discuss a marketing campaign schedule for your film including a calendar of dates for
different elements eg, release of teaser trailer, publishing of poster etc
You will only get 20 minutes PER question plus some time for checking your work, so it is
important that whatever they ask you to do in the exam, you are able to design it or write it in 20
minutes. PRACTISE THIS!
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BILLBOARD POSTERS FOR TV SHOWS
MARKETING
MATERIAL
CONVENTIONS OF POSTERS / TEASER POSTERS
POSTER /
TEASER POSTER
Mostly landscape in design to fit on a billboard
Title
Tag Line
Broadcast Date / Time
Channel
Quotes / Reviews
Awards
Actor’s Names
Production Company Logo
Cast appear in centre
Sidekick sometimes appears in the background
Crime colours are often used eg black and red
Check these out for great examples:
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MAGAZINE ADVERT FOR TV SHOWS
MARKETING
MATERIAL
CONVENTIONS OF POSTERS / TEASER POSTERS
POSTER /
TEASER POSTER
Portrait in design to fit into magazine
Title
Tag Line
Broadcast Date / Time (if it’s a TV episode you’re advertising) or Release date (if it’s
a DVD you’re advertising)
Channel
Quotes / Reviews
Awards
Actor’s Names
Production Company Logo
Cast appear in centre
Sidekick sometimes appears in the background
Crime colours are often used eg black and red
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WEBSITES
MARKETING
MATERIAL
Website
CONVENTIONS OF WEBSITES
Navigation Bar
Embedded Trailer
Photo Gallery
Interviews with Cast & Crew
Behind the Scenes videos
Links to other sites (eg other programmes made by the same company, or other programmes
shown on the same channel)
Title of show
Links to Social Networking Sites (eg Follow us on Twitter, Join our Facebook Group etc)
About the Characters
Episode Guide
Quotes / Reviews
Awards
Competitions
Where and when the next episode can be seen
Links to previous full episodes so viewers can catch up eg BBC i player, 4OD etc
27
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BACK COVER
DVD IMAGES
COVERS
DVD COVERS
At least 3 separate images normally feature
on the back cover which tell the audience
about the kinds of things that will happen in
the series and what the best parts will be.
They will NOT give away who committed the
crimes
FRONT COVER IMAGE
One main image on the front cover
which shows off the main
characters of the show (especially
if they are famous). The image
should also give a hint about the
location and the fact that crime is
involved using costumes, props,
background etc..
DVD BLURB
The blurb on the back of the
DVD cover introduces the
main character and explains
a little about who they are
TITLE, TAG LINE & SERIES NO
The title of the TV Show appears
in big bold letters on the DVD
front cover and the tag line
appears in smaller letters near by.
The font will be appropriate for
the type of show it is. The Series
or Season number will appear as
well.
It explains about what the
series will be about and gives
an overview of episodes
It drops hints about the
problems the characters
might encounter
COLOURS
Sometimes it might contain a
list of episode titles
Consistent use of colours on both
front and back. Its best to stick to
2-3 main colours, all of which are
similar (most common for TV
Crime Dramas as blacks, reds and
whites)
SPECIAL FEATURES
QUOTES
DVD’s will often feature special features on the back
cover, normally in a separate box to make them
stand out. Special features might include interviews
with cast or crew, director’s commentary, the
making of the show, features on the stunts or special
effects, outtakes, deleted scenes, trailer, alternate
A selection of quotes may appear on the DVD cover, both
front and back, giving short snappy descriptions of how
amazing the show is from impressive companies or people eg
The Sun
endings, the pilot episode etc
AGE CERTIFICATE
Unlike Film DVD’s the age certificate doesn’t HAVE to
appear on the DVD but often does anyway
CREDIT BLOCK
Mostly located in between the blurb and the DVD info,
the credit block is always written in capital letters,
which are quite narrow. Its normally starts with the
production company, is followed by the names of the
stars, and is finished by a selection of important crew
members, and then the producer and director.
DVD INFORMATION
In a separate box at the bottom they ALWAYS have a
table which gives details about the running time,
format, region, aspect ratio, age certificate, bar code
and production company (including logo)
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EXAMPLE OF A DVD BLURB FOR
THE BACK COVER OF LUTHER
LUTHER
What if your own worst enemy
was your conscience?
Idris Elba (The Wire) stars in this
snappy, electrifying crime series
filled with snappy dialogue and
thrilling plots. On a moral
crusade, too often without the
support of his colleagues, John
Luther is a deeply troubled man,
desperate for justice in a godless
world. Confronting crime in all its
terrible forms, Luther reveals his
capacity for violence as well as his
incredible perceptive skills. As the
stakes get every higher, will Luther
get pulled towards the very edge
of temptation as he hurtles head
first into the criminal world? A
gruelling series where the hunter
might just become the hunted.
What if you were on the Devil’s
side without even knowing it?
You should write something
similar for the back cover of your
show’s DVD
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TRAILERS
Trailers are designed to be short and engaging, and are there to make an audience want to see your
programme. They do this by always showing the best bits of the episode and leaving the audience
wanting more. They nearly always include the following things:
 Institutional information – the channel it is going to be shown on, time etc
 Introduction to the main characters – showing us who they are, what type of person they are,
how attractive they are etc..
 Introduction to the crime / story – a glimpse of the jobs the characters do, the crimes they
have to solve, looking for clues, interviewing suspects etc
 Introduction to location – shows some of the location where the show will be set eg London,
New York
 Witty language – Often in the trailer, we see the characters talking to each other in a witty,
funny way. Perhaps some playful banter, some flirting, or some sarcastic insults?
 Excitement – including the best scenes from the show, such as the main character getting
angry, chasing suspects, firing a gun, etc. It leaves the audience wanting to watch the whole
episode to find out what happens
 Title – the title of the show normally appears right at the end of the trailer along with the time
it is on etc
In the exam if you have to storyboard the trailer, you should aim to complete 10 squares. To get
above a C grade you MUST fill in the editing, sound and shot description boxes too.. (see me for an
example storyboard if you don’t have one).
You should use the codes vo and sfx to make it clear whether it is the voice over man or a sound
effect. For example...
Vo: “Detective Spencer is back in Season 5 of Spencer Investigates.”
SFX: Loud gunshots
Spencer: “Tell me where she is!”
Although in TV trailers it is rare to have a voice over, here are some good phrases for your
voice over man to use on your trailer. You can replace the words in italics with anything you
want.
 BBC One Presents... (or any channel for that matter)
 From the makers of Sherlock..(or any other good TV Crime Drama)
 Comes a crime drama unlike all the rest
 Comes a crime drama which will blow your mind
 The only person that can solve the crime is Spencer
 Winner of a BAFTA for Best New Show
 BBC One, Wednesdays, 9pm
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1
Sound: Dramatic Music
begins
6
VO: “The city can be a
dangerous place”
2
3
Sherlock: “do you
know, I think I just
might have...”
Medium Close up of CSI
technician speaking, low
key lighting
7
CSI: “Who are you?”
Medium Long Shot of
Sherlock as windows
explode behind hi.
Music builds to a
crescendo.
Medium Close up of
Sherlock speaking, low
key lighting
VO: This series of
Sherlock is set to be
the most thrilling yet
Long Shot of Sherlock
chasing man across
roof tops
8
Sherlock: “I’m Sherlock.
The police come to me
when they can’t solve
the crime.”
4
Watson: “He’s an odd
man, isn’t he?”
Long shot of Sherlock
walking under police
tape
9
Sherlock: I find
murderers for a living
Medium shot of Watson
Watson: “So have you
found anything?”
Close Up of Sherlock
speaking
Sherlock: “If I can’t
solve it, no one can”
VO: But one man, isn’t
scared of a little danger
5
Close up of Sherlock
examining piece of
glass
10
Graphic Screen
VO: Sherlock, BBC One
Sunday 9pm. Don’t
Miss Out.
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OPENING SEQUENCES (CREDIT SEQUENCE)
A TV Crime Drama opening sequence may be one of things you have to design in the exam and
should be done in much the same way as the trailer, using the storyboard sheets and set out in
the same way. In a TV crime drama opening sequence we normally see a crime being
committed or a body being found at the start. This is in order to engage the audience straight
away and keep them on the edge of their seat. Then the credits and music start and then it
goes into the rest of the show.
Normal Structure
1) A body being found or a crime being committed
2) Something shocking eg a close up of the body or someone screaming etc
3) The music starts and the credits begin. The credits consist of
- Shots of the main characters with their names appearing on screen
- Shots of the main locations in the show
- Shots of them doing their jobs eg looking for clues, talking to people (no sound apart
from the music though)
- Crime related images eg footprints, finger prints, bloodstains etc
4)
At the end of the credits is the title of the show appearing on screen and the music ends
YOU DO NOT HAVE A VOICE OVER FOR AN OPENING SEQUENCE
See the next page for an example storyboard for an opening sequence storyboard
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1
Long Shot of woman
finding body on floor
6
Extreme Close Up of
dead body’s eye being
opened by hand in
gloves
7
Medium Shot of 3rd
main character Nick
stokes in uniform
holding clue up to the
light
Woman screams
2
Dramatic Music Begins
Medium Long shot of
team walking towards
police tape
3
Medium close up of 1
main character Gil
Grisson in lab examining
something under
microscope
8
Actor’s name appears
on screen
Close up of gun being
fired
Actor’s name appears on
screen
4
Close up of bullet
exploding through blue
glass
9
Medium Shot of CGI
skeleton being
crushed
5
Close Up of 2nd main
character Catherine
Willows looking at hair
trapped in tweezers
10
Title Screen featuring
title CSI: on top of
colourful neon
background.
Actor’s name appears on
screen
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Music comes to a
dramatic finish
SCRIPT FOR A SCENE FROM YOUR CRIME DRAMA SERIES
One thing you might get asked to do, is to write a script for a portion of your show. It might be
a script for the opening scene, a dramatic scene, the end, or another part of the show. If you
get this task, you need to ensure you are setting out your script in the way a professional script
would be set out
You need to include the following key things in any script
 Name of characters to make it clear who is speaking
 Dialogue
 Sound Effects
 Stage Directions (that explain what the characters should do at that point)
 Set Description (to explain key parts of the appearance of the scene at the time)
Name of the series and the episode at
the top in capitals
EXAMPLE SCRIPT
INT=
Interior
shot. If it
was an
exterior
shot it
would say
EXT. Also
tells us
WHERE it is
set
SERIES: SHERLOCK
EPISODE: THE BLIND BAKER
Electrical switches. A security man flicks them off
one by one. Lights go out through the upper floors.
INT. MUSEUM - ANTIQUES ROOM. DUSK
SUSAN alone in the gallery. Stoneware models of
Emperors and Guardians all around her. SUSAN opens
the glass cabinet to replace the tea pot. There are
five pots in a row. A label reads ‘ZISHA CEREMONIAL
TEA POTS. HANG ZHOU c1640’.
INT. MUSUEM - STORE ROOM. DUSK
SFX =
Sound
Effects
Description
of what is
happening
in the
scene
Blackness. A door opens. A crack of light.
Twisted human shapes - limbs and torsos - broken
statues. SUSAN enters, switches on the light. A
store room. No windows. SUSAN goes to a tall
Chinese cabinet and tidies away the tea cloth and the
tray.
SFX: Bang!
A footfall from the shadows make her turn.
round – no-one. She continues... then...
SFX: Bang!
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She looks
Name of
characters
in capital
letters
She isn’t alone in there. She calls into the empty
space.
Dialogue is
centered on
the page, and
always has the
characters
name above it
so we know
who says it
SUSAN
Is that security?
(No answer)
Hello?.
(Nothing)
In the corner: a statue covered loosely with a dust
cloth. The cloth billows about - someone has untied
it. Two pale arms poke out from beneath the cloth.
Why has the statue been untied? SUSAN reaches out
and pulls the cloth away. POV the statue. SUSAN
freezes in horror. Something about the figure
terrifies her. She opens her mouth and screams, but
the scream becomes...
TITLES
EXT. EDDIE'S FLAT. NIGHT
Isle of Dogs. 1am. A taxi pulls up outside an
apartment block... Plush city flats, each with a
private balcony. A man jumps out - EDDIE - early
30’s, chalk pin-stripe suit, red braces. He can only
be a banker. Throws a twenty at the
DRIVER.
TAXI DRIVER
You wanna receipt?
But EDDIE doesn’t stop to reply. He’s is a blind
panic. He rushes up to the apartments, drenched in
sweat, and punches the key pad. Doors open. He bolts
inside.
INT. EDDIE'S FLAT. NIGHT
SFX: Ping!
The elevator doors slide open. 6th floor. EDDIE
rushes out, fumbles for his key and jams it in the
lock.
EDDIE
Come on. Come on.
He gets inside and bolts the door and puts the chain
on. And then he hears something terrifying...
SFX: a drum. A single rhythmic monotone. Tribal.
Menacing.
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Titles are
identified if
they appear in
the scene
TV MAGAZINE FRONT COVER
Having your TV Show featured on the front cover of a famous TV magazine is a great way of
marketing your programme.
The main conventions you should include are:
 Title of magazine
 Barcode
 Price
 Date
 Other Articles advertised
 Website address
 Competitions
 Slogan for the magazine
 Main picture (normally the main character/actor from your show looking at the camera )
 Large font writing giving the title of your show and saying something short and fantastic
about it that will make audiences want to buy the magazine to learn more.
37
ARTICLE ABOUT YOUR SHOW IN A MAGAZINE
Getting an article about your show in a magazine is a great way of getting publicity. Articles
could be about the show in general, giving the audience sneak preview of what the series will
be about. It could be a review of the show discussing how good it is. It could be an interview
with the main star and / or director. There could be fact files about the main character. There
could be an overview of episodes etc. A good idea would be to combine a few of these
different elements into one article.
Conventions you should include:







Name of magazine at the top of the page
Page number at the bottom corner of the page
Title of the show
Pictures of the main characters / images from the film with captions
Writing in columns
Colour blocks using the separate off bits of text
Good quotes from the article picked out in a larger font or a different colour
38
39
MARKETING CAMPAIGN
In the exam they might ask you to plan a marketing campaign schedule. This will involve you
showing your “overall” knowledge about marketing materials and television. The best way to
what you are planning, why and when. Here is an example for my made up TV Crime Drama
“The City”.
My marketing campaign
My tv show “The City” is a medium budget UK Based TV Crime Drama set in London which
would be best suited to a slot on a channel like the BBC. Most TV crime drama shows are
marketed by a careful combination of cunning scheduling and promotional materials. I intend
on doing the same thing with my show. I will start of by releasing some teaser posters that will
appear on billboards around London and other areas of the country to interest the audience
and get them thinking about the programme. Then closer to the broadcast of the first episode I
will place full posters in a variety of TV magazines and entertainment publications. Then I will
ensure that my trailer runs on all BBC channels, but obviously more predominantly on BBC One
as that is the channel the show would be appearing on.
When the show actually airs on television, I will ensure that it is scheduled appropriately. I
would like to “hammock” my programme between the National Lottery at 9pm and the Ten
O’Clock News at 10pm because this would encourage viewers of these popular programmes to
watch “The City” as well. Just prior to the programme I would feature the Twitter hashtag
“#TheCity” on the screen to encourage my audience to communicate with each other online,
appealing to younger audiences with an interest in technology and this would also allow us as
producers to see what audiences think of the programme so we could make last minute edits
and changes to future episodes if necessary. After the programme we would show the website
address and would regularly inform audiences of online activities they could take part in to do
with the programme, such as online discussions with the cast, or competitions to win prizes.
This would encourage them to log on to our site.
During the early part of the first series I would schedule my main actor Steve Smith to appear
on several famous chat shows like Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton’s shows where he can
promote the show and attract new fans. As the success of the show grows, I would suggest
releasing an I Phone and I pad app for the show, which has both information about the show as
well as interactive crime solving games that the audience can play. Once we have secured a
dedicated audience and we wish to expand our financial success, I would suggest turning the
idea into a franchise. For this could think about developing a spin off show called “The City:
Manchester” or “The City: Glasgow” which would very similar. These shows would appeal to
audiences living in other regions of the country and could lead to equal success.
40
FINALLY – SOME HINTS AND TIPS FOR THE EXAM
1) Respond to the email / letter in the pre released material IN CHARACTER
2) Make sure you address ALL OF THE POINTS in the pre released material and that your
TV Crime Drama ideas suits what they want!
3) If they ask you anything about TV Crime Drama, make sure you use a RANGE OF
EXAMPLES from real TV Crime Drama shows to back up your answers
4) Make sure you use MEDIA TERMINOLOGY where possible to show your knowledge and
understanding.
5) Make sure you show a good understanding of REPRESENTATION and STEREOTYPES
6) Make sure you show a good understanding of all of the CONVENTIONS of TV Crime
Dramas
7) Make sure you show a good understanding of the AUDIENCES for TV Crime Dramas
8) Make sure you show a good understanding of the INSTITUTIONS that make TV Crime
Dramas and what they do to make them successful including SCHEDULING and
MARKETING
9) Make sure you check your SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION. If you know you want to
mention a specific TV Crime Drama or character in your exam and you don’t know how
to spell the name of the show or the character’s name, make sure you look it up before
the exam!
10) Make sure you TIME YOURSELF so you are not spending more than 20 minutes on each
question. This will make sure you don’t run out of time and give you some time at the
end in order to check your work.
11) Make sure your design work LOOKS LIKE REAL MARKETING PRODUCTS. Eg looks like a
real DVD cover, a real poster etc
12) Make sure your design work SELLS THE PRODUCT to the audience and makes them
WANT to see your TV Show
13) You do NOT HAVE TO COLOUR IN your designs. You will not lose marks if they remain
black & white. So do not spend hours colouring things in when you could be moving on
to another question.
14) To gain more marks, try and ANNOTATE your designs. This means putting some “radial
analysis” comments around the outside of them to explain what you have done and
why.
41