Humans Flashcards
Names of Key female characters
Anita/Mia, Laura, Matty, Niska
What is Humans based on?
Swedish show ‘Real Humans’ released in 2012
When was the set episode broadcasted?
14th June 2015
Who produced it?
Channel 4
Who distributed it in the USA?
Shine Ltd & aMC
Names of Key male characters?
Toby, Joe, Leo, Odi, Max, Dr George Millican
Examples of Anita being represented as an object/passive character?
revealed to Joe and the audience = object
“She’s ours” – ownership
“My Primary user” referring to Joe who is using her
Programmed for ‘standard domestic model… basic housework’ – linking back to patriarchal ideas of the woman’s role in the home
How is Laura represented in comparison to Anita?
Anita is holding cleaning products when presented to Laura who looks stressed – the working mother is confronted with a ‘better version’ of herself and what she should aspire to be more like – the ‘perfect’ woman.
How is Anta represented in a way that fits in with how women are stereotypically represented?
Her voice is low & attractive – a seductive machine
Programmed for ‘standard domestic model… basic housework’ – linking back to patriarchal ideas of the woman’s role in the home
Beauty - her clothes are basic so you’re drawn to the shape of her body
How is Niska represented?
found in a brothel – suggesting she is a prostitute being dominated by men/treated as an object that’s being used – clearly not equal.
How is Laura represented?
She is replaced by a synth (domestically, maternally & sexually) because she is struggling to be the perfect mother/wife whilst also maintaining a job.
How are ethnicities represented?
The majority of the ethnic actors are synths (“servants”) emphasising the notion of the black “slave” stereotype
The predominant casting of ethnic actors as synths reinforces their ‘lower’ social status.
Representation Theorists; Bell Hooks?
Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal oppression & ideology of domination =
Anita & Niska are presented as submissive characters, controlled by men.
Representation Theorist: Van Zoonen?
Masculinity/Femininity are constructed through actions = woman belong to the family and men to the social world.
E.g. Joe is rational and goes and buys Anita, Anita takes up stereotypical female life, Joe’s decision to buy Anita overrules his wife’s opposition to the idea.
Women are “expected” to be domestic or sexualised – Anita exemplifies this as housewife and nurturer.
How has Van Zoonens theory of representation been challenged?
Women are not marginalised but central to the narrative & hold some positions of authority = e.g. DS Voss
Primary Target Audience?
Fans of TV Drama
15+ (Post-watershed TV slot)
Gross Gender & Age appeal – audiences may identify with characters.
Audiences may find characters attractive.
Secondary Target Audience?
Science Fiction fans – more alternative/niche audience
Box-set viewers – attracted by the marketing/publicity of genre they might normally watch
Inherited fan base – fans of original ‘Real Humans’ from aMC
Fans of stars:
- Younger Target Audience = Colin Morgan
- Older Target Audience = William Hurt
Audience response; how many viewers did series 1 average at per week?
4 million (inc. channel 4 +1)
Language; Intertextual links with ‘Stepford Wives’, ‘I,robot’ & ‘Blade runner’?
Stepford Wives = domestic, beautiful, subservient female robots replace real women (male conspiracy) in a suburban area in America.
I, Robot = all lined up at the beginning
Blade Runner = synths become sentient/conscious
Language; what are the typical signs of a science fiction genre? (RESIST)
Recurring situations
Elements of narrative
- Anita has flashbacks, story focuses on her
Style - Title sequence, clinical color palette
Iconography
- technology, robots
Settings
- parallel universe, factory, production line.
Themes
- sociological debate, divided society, man playing god, man v. machine
Stock characters
- mad scientist/creator, robots, intelligent side kick (matty).
Language Theorist - Levi Strauss
Binary Oppositions drive the narrative:
- Man v machine
- Old v young
- Appearance v reality
- Anita v Laura
- Captivity v freedom
- Conscious v unconscious
- Male v female
Industry; What is channel 4?
a public service broadcaster, non-profit making organization, commercially funded through advertising.
Industry; What are channel 4’s public service elements?
- Innovative & distinctive
- Stimulate debate on contemporary issues
- Reflect cultural diversity
- Nurture new and existing talent
Who was ‘Humans’ commissioned by?
Kudos Film & TV
Industry; TV Advertising?
- Persona Synthetics TV advert ‘meet sally’
- Persona Synthetics TV advert – recalling malfunctioning synths
- Traditional TV trailer
Industry; Conventional Marketing techniques?
- Social Media = Facebook, Twitter
- Channel 4 trailer, Film Posters on buses etc.
Industry; Less-Traditional Marketing techniques?
- Regents Street shop front
- Vans with Persona Synthetics, trolleying out synths in Manchester & Glasgow
- EBay page selling ‘Charlie’ and ‘Sally’ synths
- Persona Synthetics website
Industry; Publicity methods?
- Magazine coverage on the Radio Times, weLove TV and TV & Satellite week
- Interview with cast on Alan Carr chatty man
Industry Theory
Hesmondhaigh - cultural industry theory
Industry; how has humans incorporated vertical integration?
Produced by major global media vertically integrated company (Kudos part of Endemol Shine part of 21st Century Fox/Apollo) with cross-media interests e.g. lm/TV
Industry; how do media producers attempt to minimize risks to maximize profit?
Co-production with aMC guarentees a US marke = minimized financial risk
Adaptation of an existing series (“Real Humans”) & use of stars e.g. William Hurt with separate fan bases
= guaranteed success
