Single Camera
Serial:
Serial is a little more different to a series. A serial is more like a soap and its more ongoing and there isn't a set amount of episodes. So basically its a continuous story, for example Homeland and Games of Thrones are serials are you can pick up the story from where you were last at. As a writer and producer you have to be careful how you construct the stories as it could turn out to be how a series would turn out to be. A serial has a continuing plot that unfolds episode by episode. They usually follow main story arcs that are the entire television seasons or even the full run of the series. This how they distinguish them from traditional episodic television that relies on more stand alone episodes. They start with what happened previously and then at the end shows the cliffhangers for the next episode. They are also written with different subplots which can consist of different storylines but has a main story arc behind the episodes which builds up to the climatic ending. Most TV shows like Homeland and Game of thrones use this method by having the seasons consist of minor stories and subplots which lead to the climatic ending. In-between all of that there would be intense moments, twist and turns to make the audience intisted to the series.
Single drama:
A single drama is basically just a one off episode with no intent to make more episodes. They focus on a single story which can be constructed in a similar way to films. The single drama can have a three act structure just like a film would be. Beginning, middle and an end with a main plot. All single dramas are made to show what happens in the real world or what has happened. As films and single dramas are very similar, single dramas are made to show a realistic point in the real world. Whereas films are made to show what could happen but isn't as realistic.
An example of a one off drama is Ellen on channel 4. This was only played once. As she's on an American TV show she might want recognition from the british audience. She also introduced her other TV show which is played in America but you are able to watch on YouTube.
Soap opera:
The difference between a soap opera and a series drama is that a series drama can be over a certain amount of seasons. Whereas soap operas is continuous but doesn't have any seasons to it. All soap Operas contain realistic things. Theres no mythical creatures or superheros involved. An example of a Soap Opera is EastEnders. As Soap Operas are evolved around realism, the writer for EastEnders would have to think of realistic situations they can place into the soap. As its very realistic a lot of people love to watch it. The audience might be going through the situations or might not know anything about it but it helps the audience to understand or to relate to them.
Research for Eastenders:
When I was researching the different Soap Operas I went with EastEnders. I looked at the different producers to see what other programs or what else they have been involved in. When I came across the writters I went through the different writters history and looked at what else they had also done. I realised that the nine different writters had all done something different. For example Tony Jordan. The other things he has been involved in the writing part of the productions, the genre hes worked with, he would have different experiences from that and would of put it into EastEnders. All the other writer os EastEnders have also worked on different productions and they are different genres to everyone elses. This would help with the endless episodes that are produced.
The main event that everyone remembers is when Lucy Beale had been killed. She was discovered dead from a deliberately inflicted head injury. The storyline then reached the peak and discovered that Bobby Beale had killed her. Jane Beale had covered for him, moving Lucys body to Walford Common and convincing Bobby that he was not responsible for his sisters death. As reminder that this had happened it was revisted in July, 5 months after the incident had happened.
Most Soap operas usually follow the same episodic ending pattern with similar cliffhangers, deaths and twists to keep the audience following an interesting story. This is why theres a few soap operas and a big audience watching.
Narrative Structure
Realism:
Realistic scenes are set on a more realistic terms and the scene is shot in a real life situation which some consumers can relate. The advantages of realistic dramas are that the audience can relate to the plot as its believable. The disadvantage of realistic dramas are that they can be boring and receptive as the same stories are shown with no imagination.
Non realistic:
Non realistic is when the scene of the program or film is set in a non realistic atmosphere. So that would mean a green screen, CGB and many other editing materials that are used in order to create this type of post production. The importance of in realistic production is that the business allows the consumers to see another type of atmosphere and another type of layout when they are watching a film/program or any type of post production.
Linear:
Within Linear narrative structures there is a chronological order that indicates that this type of production has a start middles and an end. Linear productions help the audience to get an idea of the story and it would also make sense for the audience as the story has a beginning, middle and end.
Basic films such as Disney movies, they all have beginning, middle and an ending. Its mainly childrens films that make it simple and easy to follow.
Non- Linear:
Non linear isn't in chronological order. They don't have a start, middle and end. The production would all be a mess however it would still have a structure which would make sense to the audience. A producer would make a non linear structure piece because they want to explain different stories in one piece of a film and also it doesn't have a sequence. For example, The social network. It doesn't have a constructed sequence which is set with a start, middle and end. This is shown at the end to the audience.
Theres also a few other types of narrative structures such as flashbacks and Dramatic irony.
Flashbacks:
Are scenes which are set in the present times however the scene show some scenes of the past time. It shows the consumers the historical or past life of the particular character or event which let you maybe get to know them better and maybe the choices they are making now, you understand why they decided that.
Dramatic irony:
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something important that the charcters do not. A scene of dramatic irony is flanked by a scene in which the audience learns something and a scene in which the character finally learn what the audience has known.
Theres also different endings of a narrative structure
Cliffhanger:
Cliffhangers are when there is a continuous ending which means at the end of the story the story doesn't actually end. However a whole another story beginnings. The purpose of a cliffhanger is to get the audience to watch what happens the week after from what the cliffhanger has shown. If its a good enough cliffhanger then most probably people will be wanting to know what happens the week after. For example, The walking dead will leave a cliffhanger for the audience to want to watch more. As the show does very well, they must have a great cliffhanger for everyone to watch more.
Open ending:
Open ending is when the story of the post production is left wide open so the viewer has to guess what happened at the end. It usually happens when the film or post production has two parts. The genres its usually happens in is crime and also action type.
Closed ending:
Closed ending is the simple ending to a post production film. This is when all the plots is wrapped up and everything has been figured out and the point of the plot or issue of the post production is sorted. For example, within soaps, when one part of a issue is dealt with, another issue starts. When the issue which is being dealt with 1st is being done, then there is a closed ending.
Three act structure
The three act structure is a model used in screenwriting that divides a fictional narrative into three parts.
The beginning - In the amazing Spider-Man, its starts off with him saving the day once again. Gets audience hooked straight away.
Normality - He turns up to his graduation without him wearing his suit. Around family and friends and enjoying his normal life.
Incident - He has to break up with his girlfriend as he keeps seeing her dead father everywhere. When the man drops into the tank full of ales. He also get electrocuted and turns into electroman.
Turning point: His girlfriends now going to move England and has to break up with Spider-Man.
Act two:
In act two the story takes twists and turns to keep the audience interested. Its kind of a build up to the main climax that is going to happen but if it happened too soon then it wouldn't be a long enough film to produce. They think of different scenarios that could happen to the build up. So in The amazing Spider-Man she breaks up with him but just before he fights Electroman, she all of a should appears in the crowd to watch.
Act three:
Resolution - Spider-Man hears about Electro and spider webs all the way there. This is when his girlfriend noticed something wasn't right. He rescues the public round him.
Climax - When Electroman and Spider-Man fight
Ending - When he tries to catch his girlfriend after the fight. She hits her head and dies
The Hero's Journey
In narratology, this is a common template of a category of tales that involve a hero who goes on an adventure and decisive crisis wins a victory and the comes home changed or transformed. This is the cycle that is used to make a good hero film and many producers use this.
Joseph Campbell was the screenwriter that had produced this and made the whole thing come to play with out screenwriters using this for their own films.
Technical requirements
When it comes down to producing your own TV series or a film, you are required to have amazing filming techniques. You have to be good with lightening, sound, editing and having your own style to make yourself unique. Using the right lighting, the right sound, editing techniques and their own style should get the audience to feel a different way about what's going on. Whether that's them being happy or a emotional part. If the audience manages to feel that way then the producer and screenwriter has done a good job. For example, Transporter has some really good fight scene and you can get the feel for it in the lighting and sounds of it. There's some dark moment in the film meaning its a hauting dark feeling to them.
The director Corey Yuen has directed other film such as The legend 2, Above the law, The collector and many more. Most of his other films are Chinese. They all consist of fighting and that in there nature. Just like Jackie Chan. He would make sure that all the fighting scenes look perfect with the best sound and lightening to capture the best bits of the fight. As he's done a few in the past he would of had experience on how to show it all in an amazing way. That is also what would be unique, he would know himself from experience and where he lives to know what would be the best for the film.
