Life On Mars

Question 1

Cinematography

Answer 1

Occasional use of handheld camera during chase scene creates a feeling of immediacy and urgency such as the opening scene when Sam chases a suspect down a back alley (Colin)

Question 2

Cinematography

Answer 2

The use of slow motion as the two characters victoriously parade the captured killer is a stylistic nod to 1970s police shows to strengthen the connection between Life on Mars and these texts

Question 3

Cinematography

Answer 3

Mise en scene makes use of the setting e.g. city, streets, police station, Annie’s house to emphasise the details of the world of 1973 and add to the authenticity of the show

Question 4

Iconography- sets, props and costumes

Answer 4

Period-correct clothing, hairstyle and makeup are all used on main characters and extras to populate the world of the show

Question 5

Iconography- sets, props and costumes

Answer 5

Props and settings are all directly based on the 1970s items including TVs, cars, building and etc

Question 6

Music and sound

Answer 6

Music is used to establish a connection between the 2007 and 1973 (an iPod plays ‘Life on Mars’ before it plays non-diegetically)

Question 7

Music and sound

Answer 7

The score is conventional for contemporary police/ detective dramas, only rarely using seventies music for the soundtrack

Question 8

Music and sound

Answer 8

Non-diegetic score is used in a conventional manner to heighten and strengthen the atmosphere of a scene

Question 9

Narrative structure

Answer 9

• Episode 1 establishes the ongoing season arc of Sam trying to return to 2006
• Equally, the narrative of catching the killer is resolved in the episode establishing a ‘bad guy of the week’ episodic structure
• The show mixes multiple narrative thread throughout; Sam’s coma; his conflicts with Hunt; the various crimes the team have to solve

Question 10

Comedy/ satire

Answer 10

• Characters like Gene Hunt and the other detectives are intentionally offensive and brutish in order to satirise these outdated attitudes
• The ways in which the police and the decade are portrayed are also mocking the TV series of 1970’s such as the Professionals & The Sweeney

Question 11

Genre hybridity

Answer 11

• sci fi & police procedural e.g. time travel as a result of a coma, moments where Sam sees or hears what is happening in the hospital or on the TV or the character of Neil & narrative of Sam trying to understand the strange new world
• Characters are in law enforcement, narrative focuses on solving crimes; catching killers; settings, locations and characters are all typical of the genre

Question 12

Curran & Seaton theory

Answer 12

As a public service broadcaster, the BBC has a great deal of power in the British media industry

• This means media shown by the BBC has a degree of social influence & the power to shape the views of viewers.
• this is why the BBC is obligated to be politically impartial.

Question 13

Production

Answer 13

• Kudos films: London based production company
• The company produced Spooks; high successful spy drama/ thriller; influential in the decision to hire the company to produce the show
• commissioned by the BBC

Question 14

Regulation

Answer 14

• Regulated by Ofcom for content & viewer complaints are investigated
• Modern technology (streaming services) means that watershed timeslots can be bypassed
• LOM; 9pm watershed, issues w/ swearing, prostitution, homophobia

Question 15

Marketing

Answer 15

BBC vast’s resources led to more advertising; TV trailers, magazines, newspaper slots, online videos- used to attract a broad range of demographics

Question 16

Series creators

Answer 16

Jordan Pharoah & Graham; writers for EastEnders too

Question 17

BBC ownership

Answer 17

• BBC operates on a vertical integration; owns production companies, broadcasting outlets & distribution companies across film, TV, journalism and radio
• BBC quality e.g. Luther and Sherlock
• BBC America promoted the show in US & Korea- Worldwide reputation

Question 18

Distribution

Answer 18

• First broadcast on BBC One at 9pm in Jan 2016
• DVDs sold via BBC distribution & available to stream on BBC iPlayer
• Broadcasted in France, Sweden, Spain, Croatia, Germany, New Zealand & Norway
• Remade for international audiences- America, Spain, Russian remakes
• Subtitled versions of LOM; Spanish, Russian, Greek, Polish & Hungarian

Question 19

Cultural industries- Hesmondhalgh

Answer 19

• Genre- the show is a blend of popular genres, but the combination of the two is atypical and a potential risk
• Star power- lead actors weren’t known but weren’t celebrities with star power & pre-sold fanbase e.g. John Simm; Doctor Who, Gene Hunt- Comic Relief Skit & Top Gear.

Question 20

Portability

Answer 20

-The Bridge & LOM; increased portability via new platforms e.g. tablets & mobile phones & patterns of consumption have changed e.g. box-sets, binge watching, on demand & catch-up.

Question 21

Sam Tyler mise-en-scene

Answer 21

• Hair is 21st century. Quite messy (Career minded and puts more effort into his career rather than his appearance. Could also make him more appealing to the audience as he is career driven, perhaps somewhat relatable.)
• Often lit with artificial or high key lighting (Suggestive of how he has been brought to the 70’s to shed light and to expose the inequalities between minorities in 1973. The artificial lighting helps to reinforce the idea that 1973 is all constructed within Sam’s mind.)
• Black and slightly coloured clothing when in 2006, compared to the beige coloured suits in 1973 (Shows that he is highly ranked throughout time. The colours helps the audience to differentiate between the two eras, and show further contrast between the two)

Question 22

Sam Tyler editing & sound & performance

Answer 22

• Camera is often on Sam (This is because, not only is he the protagonist, but he is also acting as the eyes of the 21st century, looking back to 1973. So as the camera is on Sam more, we see his reactions to situations, reflecting the viewpoint of somebody from the 21st century)
• Life on Mars by David Bowie plays when he is hit by the car (Foreshadows that when he wakes up from his coma he will be in 1973. This was a popular song in the seventies, by one of the most influential artists of the era, which could also suggest Sam enjoys this music, and that the BBC are paying homage to Bowie.)
• The sound of Sam’s breathing is enhanced (Emphasises the terror and panic he would be experiencing. Also helps us to side with him, as we feel a sense of empathy towards him, perhaps because of the unusualness of his situation)
• Often seems timid in how he carries himself (perhaps this is because he feels vulnerable to his new surroundings, especially to Gene as he is charge and makes sure of it)
• In the interrogation scene he is quite quick and very eager when displaying the evidence he has against Colin. (Portrays Sam as a keen and confident character who is extremely sure of himself. This is all contrasted when he wakes up in 1973, where we see him as sheepish, and unsure of himself).
• He doesn’t wait for the lower ranking officers to go after Colin when he runs away and goes after him himself (this shows his investment in his work and that his position doesn’t limit him. Represents him as a practical man who goes after the things we wants in life

Question 23

Annie Cartwright

Answer 23

• She is never alone in a scene, and rarely alone in a shot (Represents the ‘princess’ type of character from a Propp point of view. Also reflects the view that women were incapable of looking after themselves, and that they needed a mans help to do so. Could also represent the role of women in society - they were not important enough to support high powered roles in society, so these were dominated by men, as can be seen in the police force)
• Annie is the only character who is willing to help Sam and listen to what he has to say (this gives her an important role and also creates a positive representation of her. Also reflects the idea that women’s place in society was to play the role of nurturing mother, which is what Annie could be argued to be doing here).
• Shot from eye level when with Sam Tyler. This is from the POV of an outsider. (Reflects how there is more gender equality in the 21st century and how Annie is more equal to Sam Tyler and the audience because we’re seeing her in the same way that Sam Tyler sees her.)
• She is positioned in front of Sam for most of the introductory scene between them (Reflects how she is to be an important character, not only in driving the narrative forward, but also for Sam’s sanity and to help him wake up)

Question 24

Annie- representation

Answer 24

• She’s dressed very smartly & her hair and makeup is neat and natural (suggests that her appearance matters to her, as it is one of the only things she has control over. Also shows that she can’t be as casually dressed as the me demonstrating the lack of gender equality in the 1970’s and the ironic hypocrisy between the genders - women must look neat and pretty for men, but males can dress as they please)
- Annie is also the only main character that we see in uniform within the police station (this could reflect how the women were treated, with Annie being restricted in a uniform while the other male characters are free to wear what they want, further emphasising the gender inequalities in our history)
- She has brown and short hair (this is unconventional, even in the 21st century, were beauty is seen as being blonde with long straight hair. Despite this, her male colleagues still time find to sexualise her beauty for their own pleasure)

Question 25

Annie- editing

Answer 25

• Always cuts from her to a shot of a man’s reaction, whether it be Sam Tyler or someone else. (she is not an important character at the start and does not require an introduction or a reflection of her opinion in regards to important policing topics)

• When Annie is shot at low angles; further emphasises of her importance in the narrative and also the her importance to Sam as she is the only one who will attempt to try and get him to talk)