Assignment Plan

Genres:

Sitcom Sitcom examples: The Office The Inbetweeners Fawlty Towers Friends

The conventions of sitcoms As opposed to stand-up comedy and sketch comedy, a situation comedy has a storyline and ongoing characters in, essentially, a drama. The situation is usually that of a family, workplace, or a group of friends through comedic sequences. The difference between a sitcom and a drama is that each sitcom episode has its individual story which often includes a beginning, middle and an end. Throughout this all characters usually feature in the sitcom episodes. This contrasts the Layout of drama episodes as dramas often continue the story through to the next episode and the situation may not include all the characters. Sitcom narrative structures Generally a sitcom has a circular structure narrative which each story is completed by the end of the episode, sitcoms usually allows us to look at a variety of different plots within an episode. Within one episode a sitcom usually follows a rule in which there are three main steps in the structure of the episode. First there is the introduction of the main characters and the dramatic problem, then a series of complications that arise and finally a climax where one of the main characters resolves everything. This differs from a TV drama as they often include a cliff-hanger and the story overflows into the next episode, whereas a sitcom usually resolves it during the same episode it started and then a different problem occurs in the next episode. Sitcom formats Sitcoms are written in a 20-30 minute script format and usually have four or more main characters. In most cases, they include a hero, an anti-hero, a love interest and a buddy. Since sitcoms are often no longer than 30 minutes long, it is essential that the plot line be fairly tight and resolvable. Successful plots will typically fall within a family or workplace setting or some combination of the two. Within this setting, there are two main storylines that often collide, as well as the characters attitudes and different characteristics. In most shows these storylines do not resolve until the end of the episode.

Serial Serial examples: The Walking Dead Lost Mad Dogs 24 The Wire Skins

Conventions of a serial TV show Serials rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from traditional episodic television that relies on more stand-alone episodes. Serials rely on keeping the full nature of the story hidden and revealing elements episode by episode to keep viewers interested, whilst often leaving the end of an episode on a cliff-hanger.

Narrative structures Serials often include 4 or more characters, these characters are included in every episode but sometimes do not make it to the end of a series. Generally a serial TV show has a drama structure where each episode continues onto the next with a situation thread that has occurred and keeps going until resolved. A serial will also include a form of a cliff hanger at the end of an episode, this is often to keep the audience interested and to keep them watching. The first episode often covers the man characters, their lives often seem normal at first until a situation happens and this carries on through the episodes. The problem or situation is not usually resolved or overcome until the end of the series, most series counties onto another couple of series in which the situation gets worse.

Serial Format Serials often range from 45 minutes to an hour or more, they often include a group of friends who are in a bad situation and are stuck in that situation for a while in which they need to solve it and figure a way out of it. The plot and storyline do not need to be as tight as a drama or a sitcom; this is because serials slowly reveal bits of the storyline to unveil the main plot, this continues through all the episodes in a series even overflowing into the next series with cliff hangers. Successful plots often include the characters being in an environment they are not used to or a situation that they do not know how to handle, to keep the audience interested series will hide vital information from the characters but they will show them to the audience creating a tense atmosphere.

Crime

Crime examples: Breaking Bad Midsummer murders CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) Ashes To Ashes Life On Mars

Conventions of a crime TV show Crime has many sub-genres such as thriller, gangster, detective story, and murder mystery. All categories usually follow generic crime conventions, which often include complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the audience is given the opportunity to engage in the same process of deduction as the protagonist throughout the investigation of a crime. The viewer is often provided with the clues from which the identity of the perpetrator may be deduced before the story provides the revelation itself at its climax.

Narratives/structure Crime films, like most popular formulas, are defined by a relatively small number of consistent plots and plot transformations. The one common feature all crime films share is a crime; they differ in what sort of crime it is and how they stage that crime, what attitude they take toward it, and how they present the people who are involved in it. They often include a between 2 to 4 main characters as well as many sub-characters, traditionally the characters will feature in every episode, Unlike sitcoms where the episode will focus on two characters from the main characters at one episode at a time, crime often only features the most important characters and only sometimes involves the less important characters.

Crime format Crime dramas are often longer than dramas ranging from 30 minutes to 1 hour or more. This is so they dont have to have a tight storyline within one episode and can make it tenser as the audience will concentrate more through a longer period of time. They usually involve a main set of 3 or 4 characters with some other characters who are not as involved in every episode. To keep people interested crime shows and crime dramas often involve a different situation or case every episode but these can leap over to the next episode as crime shows often have cliff-hangers. Successful plots often include uncomfortable situations and tense scenes with high budget action and drama between the main characters.