Media TV Coursework

Nazir Ahmed Media studies coursework assignment Mr Hesleton

Section 1: Describe the conventions of sitcom comedy

There are a lot of main features of the sitcom genre; they have a set of typical generic conventions. They all have title sequences most of these involving a distinctive catchy music, either a happy uprising tune giving off a funny atmosphere or a crazy tune giving off the feeling that the program includes funny chaos. Next all the storylines are introduced; usually there are about 3 or 4 storylines involving all the characters but they all intervene into one big storyline. As these stories go on problems and kinks appear in them making them funny and interesting. There is usually friction between the characters. In the end usually all the problems are resolved or they get nowhere.

The setting is always the familiar family home or place of work. The actors use this to film most often but in most cases the majority of scenes are filmed in different areas. The characters usually consist of an extremely stressed out bossy mum that is very unfair and fed up all the time, A relaxed Dad that just wants to finish work and chill either in the pub or at home and to get some peace and quite from his wife and kids. In most or nearly all family sitcoms there is a variation of children, ranging from different ages ,there is usually one really smart child who is a bit of a know it all ,and a really thick one ,sometimes there is a small child or a baby as well. These characters clash creating really funny storylines. As the characters move away from there household or place of work they move to different settings creating humour because of where they are .for example a six year old child expecting to go to Disney and turning up at a run down circus. The balance between physical humour and verbal humour is very clever; it is usually the physical humour promoting the verbal humour. The programs appeal to lots of different audiences as there are lots of age groups of characters appealing to the age groups of people. As sitcoms can be on at any time then a lot more people watch them as different age groups watch TV at different times.

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Section 2: Analyse the representation of family life in a sitcom

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Section 2: Analyse the representation of family life in a sitcom

The sitcom I have chosen to analyse on the representation of family life is ‘Family Guy’ a sitcom/animation based on a stereotypical American father and his family. The storyline on each episode basically follows Todorv’s narrative stages. Starting off with the equilibrium, the setting is established (The Griffins family home) and the key characters are introduced Peter Griffin, The father of 3 kids (Meg, Stewie and Chris) and husband to Lois, he is a stereotypical American father who eats a lot, drinks a lot and watches TV a lot he is very thick and stupid, Remind you of someone? The character of homer Simpson of the Simpsons seems to be based on the same stereotypical American father. Lois however is a very smart attractive mother that usually gets on with Peter and loves her kids. Lois is also a stereotypical Mum who does all the housework and cooking etc. Next there is Chris the second eldest child He is 15 years old and it seems he has inherited his dad’s brain. With 0% common sense Chris is a very funny character .He has a good relationship with both his parents, but always fights with his younger sister Meg Chris appeals especially to teenage boys because some of the stuff he talks about they can relate to. Meg hates her dad embarrassing her but gets on with the rest of the family apart from arguing with Chris. Meg is about 16 making her the eldest child .her life basically revolves round her trying to get a boyfriend and failing very badly making her character funny and appealing to teenage girls. The youngest of the children is Stewie a little toddler who can talk. Stewie is the smartest of the family even though he is only 3 which makes him extremely funny another sitcom who has a smart talking baby on is the English sitcom my hero. Stewie hates Lois and Peter and thinks Chris is just pathetic boy with no brains. Stewie however gets on with the talking family dog Brian. Brian is very funny and very intellectual. He is just like a teenage boy in dog form. Brian is very attracted to Lois and gets on with all the family. I think this program appeals to a lot of audiences ranging from 11 year olds to 50 year olds as the different characters attract different age groups of people. Think the target audience however is teenage boys because of the humour involved is very boyish.

Section 3: Create Ideas for a new sitcom

My program will be about a dysfunctional school with dysfunctional students and stressed out teachers. My program will appear weakly on channel 4 at about 9-10pm.It will be called Not to cool for school. The target audience will be teenagers of both sexes about 15 16 year olds as that will be the year groups it will be based on. The sources of humour will come from the characters and there profiles and there relationships with each other. There will also be nearly every school rule broken creating humour this will include drug and alcohol abuse. Another element of my program will be sexual attraction between student, between teachers and even between teachers and students! My program will be very modern (present day sinareos). Advertisers attracted to my program will include firms like JD sports shop that appeals to the target audience. It will involve quite a few of these shops along with big brand names that the target audience like buying from. Good places to advertise my program will be on TV adverts on channels teens watch like music channels and the channel the program will be on. Also transport like busses will be a good place to advertise my program as 63% of people who use busses are teenagers aged 14-18.

My main character will be Matt a spliff totting 16 year old who likes nothing better than winding the teachers up, abusing the school system. Matt always has a good looking girl attached to his arm .he is tall and the leader of a little posse , being a role model to a lot of kids younger than him he takes this advantage of being liked a bit to far he thinks he rules the school but then Dan moves to the school…

Dan is a real hard case after being expelled from 3 schools and having an ASBO it seems Matt has finally met his match and Dan will do anything to bring Matt down from his position of power.

Mercedes Matt’s current girlfriend is very attractive with huge breasts and a really nice body Dan is instantly jealous and makes it his mission to get her to dump Matt. She like Matt has a tight group of friends but has a secret crush for Dan as she nose Matt only likes her for her appearance.

Shaun Matt’s best friend is a total idiot obsessed with cannabis girls and money he is Matt’s sidekick and they do everything for each other he is going out with Paris , Mercedes’ best friend.

Paris is wild and very sex obsessed with a very forward attitude to life she will do anything and has gone slightly of the rails.

Miss Strut The youngest teacher at the school who is also very good looking and has a secret relationship with Matt!

Mr Temple the headmaster is a total stress case he has a permanently purple face an absolutely no hair even though he is only in his late 30’s.

3 possible storylines are Matt and his girlfriend Mercedes falls out and in Matt’s anger he takes a visit to Miss Struts office, Paris visiting Miss Strut to hand in some late coursework sees them at it and tells Mercedes who is so upset she doesn’t Know what to do so she takes loads of pills and ends up in hospital.

Another plot is that Dan takes his opportunity to work himself up the popularity scale as he has a full on conversation with Paris at a party and gets invited to the school dance with her as she is fully drunk she decides to make a move on him ending up with Dan in hospital after a beating from both Matt and Shaun.