tb media lang

• conventions of crime drama: narrative (todorov)

  -may conform to Todorov’s theory where the structure is linear from the initial disruption through to a resolution, or non-linear where time and space is manipulated-> in TB, the narrative is linear butthere are elements of a flexi-narrative; characters are complex, storylines interweave & the audience is challenged through enigma and engagement with complex characters
• conventions of crime drama: narrative (levi strauss)

  -binary oppositions function as a narrative

  element including good vs evil, police vs criminal

  -> in TB specifically: the cultural differences of Sweden vs Denmark, Saga vs Hanne, the nuclear vs the non-nuclear family and illusion vs reality

  -->the resolution of some of these binary oppositions within the story world may have an ideological significance, eg. condemning the murderers of Helle Anker who want to maintain the traditional nuclear family as the only family type
• conventions of crime drama: narrative plot situations

  -plot situations typical of the crime genre eg., the discovery of a body, an arrest, an interview with a suspect or the denouement (finale) where the perpetrator of the crime is revealed by the detective

  -> these are slightly subverted in TB due to the flaws in Saga's character

  --> eg. in the interview with the victim's wife Saga has to be prevented from showing her the crime scene photographs
• conventions of crime drama: narrative strands


  -narrative strands occur in episodes and across the series of a crime drama-> in TB,as this is the first episode of a new series,there are several complex, enigmatic narrative strands, some new (Helle Anker, Henrik's family) and some carrying over from other series (Saga/Martin, Saga/Saga's mother), which will be interwoven across the episodes in this series
• conventions of crime drama: stock characters

  -usually includes a hierarchy with a boss, a detective, a sidekick & other characters eg victims, perpetrators, suspects witnesses etc.

  -> often the pairings of characters are binary opposites, and their relationships contribute to tensions within the narrative

  --> this is the case with Saga and firstly Hanne and then potentially Henrik
• conventions of crime drama: setting

  -these will become synonymous with the programme and the brand and will relate to characters and the sub-genre (eg. Nordic Noir shown by disturbing themes, chiaroscuro lighting, gloomy Scandinavian settings)

  -> some are typical across entire genre, eg the police station, the post-mortem lab and urban crime settings

  --> however others become iconic and specific to one programme, for example the bridge in TB
• how does Todorov's narratology theory apply? (opening)

  -all narratives share a basic structure involving movement from one state of equilibrium to another, separated by a disequilibrium/disruption-> this is subverted in TB:->condensed equilibrium;:narrative starts with the disruption-> in TB: opens with the crime; an equilibrium does not need to be established bc we are well into a crime series where it is clear that a crime will occur-> we get equilibrium dripping through (eg saga w Martin)
• how does Todorov's narratology theory apply? (disruption)

  -the disruption is the discovery of the body of Helle Anker

  -> enigma codes are established as a key element of the narrative in the attempt to find the killer
• how does Todorov's narratology theory apply? (resolution/new equilibrium)


  -as this is an example of an episodic drama there would not be a resolution at the end of the first episode

  
  

  -> instead there is a cliffhanger with an explosion where Hanne is seriously injured and the introduction of Henrik as Saga's new partner

  -->the audience has been placed in a privileged spectator position regarding Henrik's situation which foreshadows possible future narratives; we already have preconceived ideas about how this partnership will work after being introduced to him prior to this announcement
• Hanne's role in terms of narrative?

  - there is little exploration of her background/ story like we get w/ henrik for eg

  -> has a purpose as a figure who shows the BO between Sweden & Denmark

  -> we feel little sympathy for her and her accident; it is more a plot that happens so that henrik can come in
• genre hybridity in TB?

  -although genres have never been stagnant, it is

  increasingly the case that they are more dynamic and seek to challenge audience expectations; the genre now is a starting point to target the audience and then surprise them through hybridity and intertextuality

  
  

  ->Nordic Noir in TB references the conventions of film noir (lighting etc.)
• elements of Nordic Noir in TB?

  -dark, pessimistic tone and mood

  -chiaroscuro lighting and shadows (establishes enigma codes and a bleak melancholy aesthetic

  -a sexually attractive 'femme fatale' functioning as a strong protagonist

  -disillusioned, flawed anti-hero (detective), often with a past

  -complex narrative and convoluted plot; cigarettes, neon, rain, alleyways, trench coat and trilby
• summary of neale's genre theory in terms of crime dramas


  neale asserts that genres may be dominated by repetition, but they are also marked by difference, variation, and change.

  
  

  -> crime dramas have a recognisable repertoire of elements that place them in the genre, but to appeal to audiences they need to display something different to set them apart from other examples

  --> difference is essential to sustain a genre, to simply repeat the codes and conventions of the form would not appeal to an audience.
• how can neale's genre theory be applied to TB?


  -TB demonstrates that genres change, develop, and vary as they borrow from and overlap with one another->TBacts as an example of the Nordic Noir sub-genrewhich borrows conventions from film noir-->In The Bridge, the Scandinavian setting, locations, and the enigmatic character of Saga proved novel for audiences demonstrating that typical genre conventions ensure success, but so do subversions of them
• how does TB demonstrate the hybridity/dynamic nature of crime dramas? (other genres)

  -Nordic noir/ Film Noir elements

  -elements of the action genre, eg. the

  chase scene

  -horror conventions, eg the build-up of

  tense music, audio codes suggesting supernatural elements, graphic/gory nature of crime with mannequins

  -elements of the psychological thriller, eg use of many enigmas, the slow pace, and the use of silence/ lack of dialogue

  -technical codes which reference film noir, for example the low-key lighting, the use of torchlight, profile shots and intense close-ups and frames with isolated figures
• how does TB demonstrate the hybridity/dynamic nature of crime dramas? (representation)

  -gender representations -> there are stock characters and representations we expect in a crime drama, but strong female roles challenging expectations. Saga is an unusual heroine, she is flawed but central to the narrative, with unpredictable and interesting behaviour traits
• visual codes: clothing

  -connotations of characters' clothing and appearance create meanings

  -> Saga's versions of the same outfit and colour scheme contribute to the enigma surrounding her character and her behaviour traits; she is hard to decipher

  -> clothing worn by the other detectives is informal and functional, unlike UK crime dramas clothing does not connote a hierarchy within the police force
• visual codes: gesture and expression


  -non-verbal communicators are quick ways of constructing meaning.->TB frequently uses close-up shots of characters to communicate meaning and many of the expressions are serious, anxious, and fearful, reflecting the dark themes and melancholy aesthetic--> Saga’s passive expression rarely changes; it is only after the explosion and in the final scenes of this episode where she is confronted with her mother, that she is seen to be disconcerted, confused and afraid
• visual codes: iconography & setting


  -settings in TBclearly establish realism and the film noir elements of the genre and also employ the typical Scandinavian elements of the cold weather and the dark->vast Nordic landscape creates a sense of isolation and alienation->iconic image of the Oresund Bridge features regularly in the series--> many of the settings create a sense of entrapment including corridors and dimly lit locations eg the warehouse crime scene
• technical codes: close-ups


  -close-ups advance the relationships between characters and establish tension and a dynamic

  -> this is evident in the conversation between Saga and the other characters

  --> often the close-ups show the profile of the character or are in silhouette, the opening introduction to Saga in the lift combines both to construct her enigmatic character

  
  

  -eventual close-up on Helle Anker's body after showing entire crime scene elevates shock & gruesome nature of crime -> more enigma
• technical codes: tracking shots


  -used to introduce both Saga and Hanne

  -> constructing both as powerful women with a job to do and are also used to involve the audience as part of the investigative process as they follow the characters
• technical codes: establishing shots

  -establishing shots are quick ways of communicating information, the bridge is used regularly to indicate changes of setting between Sweden and Denmark and bird's eye view city shots are used similarly

  -these shots also serve to create a sense of cultural verisimilitude establishing a real city in which the characters function, reinforcing their believability.
• technical codes: camera behind windows/objects

  -positioning the audience as looking in on the scene or the lives of the characters as an outsider

  ->the sense of entrapment created by this filming in some cases suggests their isolation or that they have something to hide

  -->eg the audience often views Saga from behind glass or another barrier and Henrik and his children are first viewed through the window
• technical codes: colour palette


  -the post-production editing creates a desaturated colour palette which contributes to the dark, melancholic feel of the programme

  -> it is because of this muted, dark palette, the bright 'clown make-up' on HA face stands out so much
• audio codes: music


  -the haunting track used for the credit sequence foreshadows the slow pace of the programme and creates expectations of the style of programme to follow

  -tense music at the start of the episode has intertextual references to the horror genre building audience expectation of the disturbing scene that unfolds
• audio codes: diegetic sound


  -the clicking of the crime scene investigator's cameras at the start establishes generic realism

  -the sound of the cans clanging at Morten's cabin is both unsettling and on the second visit, an action code for the explosion to follow which is then followed by a disconcerting silence
• audio codes: dialogue


  -elements of dialogue serve to develop characters and relationships:-> Saga’s clipped, at times forced, dialogue contributes to her idiosyncratic character; she is very literal in her understanding and her responses are refreshingly honest--> eg. when the owner of the site where the victim is thought to have been murdered asks her ‘Could you hurry up a bit?’,she replies‘No’.

  ->the conversations between the detectives and Helle Anker’s wife create a back story and possible motives for her murder ->Saga’s mother’s reference to ‘your crime’in relation to Saga creates an enigma at the end of the first episode and provides some insight into Saga’s past--> particularly intriguing as Saga has stated earlier in the episode,‘I don’t like my mum’
• how is saga often presented in shots?

  - very isolated

  -> reinforces her individuality

  -> eg: wide shot where we see her through doors (voyeurism) of police station; she has no one around her (unexpected for a station) and is central to the frame
• any eg's of parallel shots?

  - yes

  -> at the beginning of the episode we see the killer stand in front of a gate; little is revealed about him creating enigmas etc

  ->> then, a little later on, we see saga stand in that exact spot -> following in the footsteps of the murderer etc
• how is one conversation between saga and hans shot?

  - through windows

  -> we see little of the conversation 'head on'

  ->> distance, voyeurism
• stylistically, how is a binary opposition between Denmark and Sweden shown?

  - set design

  -> Malmo police headquarters = v utilitarian, modernised

  -> Danish = architectural, 'vintage' and lavish
• media lang in henrik dinner table scene

  - sat to one side of the frame; someone/ something looks like its missing

  -> reinforced by the two lights above him; one lights him up, the other shines onto the empty table

  - silence when he is eating

  - we hear diegetic audio between his children but he does not interact w it

  - 'conversation' between him and his wife is constructed through a series of isolated shocks flicking back and forth (do not see them in frame together bc shes not actually there)
• saga taking top off

  - again, shot through spaces in desks - voyeurism

  - representation constructed through intradiegetic gaze

  - again central to the frame