Deutschland 83: case study

 Introduction: Reviews and features

Read the following reviews and features on Deutschland 83:

The Guardian - Your next box set: Deutschland 83
The Guardian - Deutschland 83 Pity the Germans don't like it

1) Find one positive aspect and one criticism of Deutschland 83 in the reviews.

created an irresistible export: a funky exercise in pop nostalgia underpinned by actual events. It’s a perfect moment in a near-perfect series

2) Why does the second Guardian article suggest the Germans didn't like the show?

By focusing the story around Martin Rauch, a young East German border guard going undercover in the west, it doesn’t just make the viewer empathise with a Stasi agent on a human level – in the way The Lives of Others did – it makes us engage with the socialist regime’s worldview, in which a military exercise in West Germany poses a potentially existential threat.

3) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?

• Cool theme tune, lovely sets … otherwise it's a risible attempt at historical drama marked by woeful acting and hilariously implausible plots. Ducking out after five episodes. A triumph of marketing over substance, blatantly.

• As an East German I enjoyed it, however, the English translation was atrocious and left out important clues, like in the last episode when they gave away that Martin was the son of Schweppenstette and Ingrid, that was completely lost in translation. They translated "our boy" simply as "Martin". There was another incident which I don't remember now. All in all, it made me feel strangely nostalgic!

• Loved it, and was amazed to find out how much was historically accurate. Having lived through that era, I felt it really captured the atmosphere of mutual paranoia that existed and blighted millions of lives. Giving the East German perspective on it gave it a distinctiveness it would not otherwise have had, and I found that very moving. They were just as frightened of us as we were of them! It illuminated the farcical aspect of the brinkmanship.

I agree, I really enjoyed the suspense and tension that is created by Martin being a single spy trying to prevent the world from going to nuclear war and causing the complete annihilation of humanity and the earth as we know it while i also really enjoyed the historical aspects of it, the attitudes between east and west, communism and capitalism, living on either side of the Berlin wall.

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

He says that to him there was no real distinction between east and west as he was born in 1990 and so was just German, they did learn about the cold war but the focus was much more on ww2 but felt that is he had been a 25 year old back in 1983 he would have lived in west Germany as he values his freedom and mobility.

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

It reflects their remit of inspiring change and standing up for diversity as it allows people to understand that this is a foreign tv drama made in Germany with German actors and represents their social, cultural and historical contexts.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the a Channel 4 audience?

Due to the recency of Germany becoming a unified nation in 1990 a channel 4 audience might be interested in what direction Germany as a united nation would take after only, at the time of the interview, 26 years since the unification while maybe also just being curious to understand just how much their politics had changed during the split and then after.

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)

4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - 360 degree camera movement circling Martin when talking to Edel and his sister created sense that things are closing in on Martin. Huge contrast in mise-en-scene between East and West - two houses. Non-diegetic music used in the West BBQ scene - ominous and threatening

• Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender - Western family (Edel family) is shown to be dysfunctional and unhappy. The BBQ scene feels awkward and forced. Strong contrast in the East German party scene with close family, friends enjoying themselves, relaxed atmosphere. 

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 

14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene - Mise-en-scene - use of colour and costume. Iconic Puma logo red T-shirt as a colourful contrast to the dull East. Supermarket shelves full of colour and stacked high. Almost an example of postmodern art and designed to emphasise the difference between East and West.

• Audio codes – particularly music - Music - Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These. Diegetic sound but full of meaning to convey Martin’s first experience of the West. Dialogue on bench - emphasises the positives about the East and the dangers of the West. BUT this scene overall seems to present the West and capitalism in a more positive light.

• Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism / Historical accuracy - Shot of two policemen eating ice creams is symbolic of the difference between East and West. Several shots emphasise representation of East and West - close-up of chandelier, wide shot of luxurious bedroom etc

• Audience pleasures - Historical reality - Blumler & Katz U&G theory - surveillance. Danger of WW3, reference to Pershing II missiles. Key elements of D83 based on historical fact. Music - 1980s references - nostalgia. Faithful reconstruction of Germany in the 1980s. 

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy

20.40 – 22.40

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Fast-paced editing including jump cuts, typical of montage sequence. Split screen / editing / graphics used to emphasise difference between East and West.

• Audio codes - Music and SFX: Non-diegetic sound adds pace to the sequence. Dialogue/voiceover - covers a lot of narrative. 

• Audience pleasures -  German audience - nostalgia in terms of products and brands. International audience - surveillance (U&G theory) - learning about Germany, 80s gadgets etc. Genre pleasures - spy/thriller. 

• Intertextuality - Intertextuality - similar to a Bond sequence (particularly with the gadgets)

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans

31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

• Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing - Close-ups of Martin while picking lock and photographing the documents. Close-ups of the documents themselves - words like highly classified, actual details of the missiles and Ronald Reagan’s signature. These are recreations of real documents from the time - emphasising the historical aspect of the show and the way it is based on real events; positions audience to be on Martin’s side. 

• Audio codes – diegetic and non-diegetic sound -  Non-diegetic sound - music helps convey the tension of the scene and satisfy genre expectations of spy thriller. Diegetic sound - deliberately increased volume of Martin’s breathing, lock picking, turning pages in briefcase. Creates intensity, tension

• Audience pleasures -  Blumler & Katz - Uses and Gratifications theory. Surveillance - the use of real documents and genuine moments from history of cold war educates audience about German/American/Russian history. Threat of WW3. Voyeuristic pleasure - seeing a scene or activity we wouldn’t normally have a chance to see.

1) What kind of company is UFA Fiction and what shows have they produced? 

UFA Fiction combines UFA production activities in the areas of series & series, TV movies, high-end drama and feature films and has a remarkable portfolio that has had a lasting impact on the German television landscape. Many productions were not only great successes with audiences, but also won numerous German and international TV and film awards, including two International Emmy Awards. Produced shows like - Liebeskummer, Extraklasse, Charolette link.

2) What kind of company is Freemantle and what do they produce?

a world leader in creating, producing and distributing across entertainment drama, film and documentary content. produced - Too hot to handle, The piano, Got talent and X factor

3) How does Deutschland 83 reflect the international nature of television production?

It was written by someone who is not German but produced in Germany and has become a hit in countries like the UK and USA and even then it didn't do so well in Germany itself showing how Film doesn't always appeal to where it was made and so allows for foreign film to thrive in other places.

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

Introduces 'Walter' as being all about gritty international drama filled with action and tension.

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

They are appealing to fans who may have watched their work before and will come to see if they like it while also the name can suggest to those who have heard of it the overall genre of the series which will attract those interested in that specific drama like thriller.

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

The internet is allowing for the recognition of international works that would have otherwise been in the complete unknown while the media now allows us to highlight and share on a mass scale allowing shows like these to garner support through things like 'Walter'.

1) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

• Diversion - Promises drama, action and even romance

• Personal relationship - Put into the position where Martin is set up as the main character with many personal interactions that make us root for him

• Personal Identification - Martin is a young man and so can be relatable to a younger audience as he explores the world be it as a spy more than a normal person

• Surveillance - The show is presented as using historical events to push the narrative but is completely fictional while still teaching about the event/threat of ww3 that it is based off of

2) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

Action - The scenes of explosions, romance and chase scenes/ running makes the audience wonder who Martin is, who's side is he on, and why is he being chased.

Enigma - The ambiguity of Martins character and personality as just being presented as a spy draws in the audience to learn who he is and why is he so important to this story about possible nuclear annihilation. 

3) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

There might be a slight stigma that foreign film is not 'British' enough or the thought that it will just not appeal to an audience that doesn't understand German.

1) How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?

You know what’s really crazy about that? A lot of people were very anxious at that time, of course, but now we know they should have been terrified. Thomas Lovegrove, a British military historian who worked with us on Deutschland 83, first called our attention to Abel Archer, the NATO manoeuvres in the autumn of 1983 that was misunderstood by the East as a real attack. The Russians prepared to retaliate but came to their senses last minute. At the time that we were developing the show, it was exactly 30 years after it happened, so the first information about Able Archer had just been declassified. There was still a lot of mystery around it, which is great for historical drama. We fictionalised the whole thing and used it as the backdrop for the climax of the series. But just this autumn, much more information about Able Archer was released by the National Security Archives and, well, it turns out that we came very, very close to nuclear war in November 1983.

2) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

Music was key to the story from the beginning. The top 100 songs of 1983 are still on the radio all the time! It was just an incredible year of pop culture and the songs really travelled, maybe because music videos started around that time as well, so there was a visual component for the very first time. Fashion, hair styles and colour palette, suddenly became a part of the 1980’s music experience. Music will attract an audience that is familiar with it or fans of and in the case of the 80s it will be those people experiencing the nostalgia of listening to that song in that time, nostalgia is a great seller for any product especially a TV drama that may not exactly be relatable if you didn't live in Germany during the 80s. 

1) List the key statistics concerning audience figures. Why was it considered the most successful foreign language drama?

2.5 million views on first episode and is considered the most successful as it has overtaken shows like 'The Returned' which had previously held the record for most views on launch at 2.2 million.

2) How does the press release describe Deutschland 83?

Set against the real events, culture wars and political realities of Germany in the 1980s, Deutschland 83 is a stylish coming of age story, framed within a suspenseful thriller. Season 1 culminates with the true story of a nuclear stand-off in late 1983, caused by a NATO war game and botched intelligence on the East German side. Created by husband and wife team Anna and Jörg Winger, Deutschland 83 is the first German- speaking drama to play on a mainstream US cable network. Walter Presents will eventually host more than 600 hours of drama that will be available for box-set. “It’s only January but let’s call it already: coolest show of the year.”

Grazia

 

“This is the next subtitled sensation……..unmissable TV.” - TV Times

 

“This pacy saga could be your new subtitled obsession.” - The Guardian

 

“A stylish curtain-raiser for Walter Presents.” - The Times

 

“Great fun, and powered by an irrestible 1983 vintage soundtrack.” - The Daily Telegraph

 

“Evocative and gripping.” - The Daily Mail

1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

The UK cover uses many details within the cover to establish the idea and create and image of underlying action and tension that will occur within the TV drama such as the graffiti on the Berlin wall which connotes a romantic underlying narrative while the slogan and text is much more gripping and obvious to an audience that there will be action and that it is a thriller as suggested by the Walkman Martin is listening to attentively or the fact that there is a duality in the back between East and West which suggests that split and that the Drama will not be so Monochrome as to only feature one side.

2) How do these use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

The yellow and beige undertones in the UK cover is appealing in that it is very British and familiar with other TV dramas that highlight the narrative over the action however the vibrant contrast of colours in the US cover draws in a potential audiences attention to the action portrayed in the cover with a clear Black and grey character in the middle to identify the main protagonist in the action. 

3) Why might the distributors Freemantle International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

I think that it links back to that idea that UK covers are much more plain and emphasise the social realism within the TV drama that is much more relatable to a UK audience while the audience in the USA will be much more likely to watch something that's bright and stands out with promises of action as it is a foreign film.