Table Of ContentUNDERSTANDING MEDIA
PRODUCTION
Using in-depth analysis of film, TV, news and online productions, Understanding
Media Production shows how media theory helps aspiring producers understand
good practice in media production.
With detailed contemporary examples, including Pirates of The Caribbean, Game
of Thrones, Love Island and PewDiePie’s “letsplay” videos, Dwyer highlights simi-
larities and differences in the production strategies and styles used for a wide range
of media products. The book tracks the evolution of these entertainment for-
mats and the emergence of the media businesses which produce them. Chapters
describe the key production practices associated with each format, including single
and multi-camera filming, news reporting, three-point lighting and gameplay ani-
mation. They also explain the development of the production roles associated with
these content forms; directors, producers, reporters, correspondents etc. The book
goes on to explain how media businesses have used new technologies and produc-
tion innovations to reduce costs and increase profits, resulting in dramatic changes
to established production practices and roles.
By comparing media production across media industries, in the UK and US,
and illustrating the links between economic, sociopolitical and cultural influences
on production, Understanding Media Production opens up a constructive debate
between media practitioners and theorists about key questions of creativity and
innovation in production.
Paul Dwyer is Director of the Creative Enterprise Centre, a Course Leader and
a member of the CAMRI research group at the University of Westminster, UK.
He is a former producer and director of factual, news and drama TV and radio
programmes.
UNDERSTANDING
MEDIA PRODUCTION
Paul Dwyer
First published 2019
by Routledge
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2019 Paul Dwyer
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ISBN: 978-1-138-23813-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-23814-5 (pbk)
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CONTENTS
List of figures vi
Introduction: theorists vs practitioners 1
1 A theory of media production 7
2 Producing feature films 30
3 Producing studio shows 65
4 Producing filmed TV series 100
5 Producing news reports 123
6 Producing TV formats 142
7 Producing digital content 169
Conclusions: creativity and innovation in media production 195
References 203
Index 221
FIGURES
2.1 Diagram: proscenium theatre layout 32
2.2 Establisher shot from Pirates of the Caribbean 33
2.3 Special effects shot: Captain Jack Sparrow 35
2.4 Eyeline shot: Captain Barbossa 37
2.5 “Matching” eyeline shot: Captain Jack Sparrow 38
2.6 Wide shot: antagonists and Will Turner 38
2.7 Medium close-up: Barbossa 39
2.8 Close-up: Captain Jack Sparrow 40
2.9 Close-up: Captain Barbossa 40
2.10 “Crossing the line” shot: Captain Barbossa 41
2.11 Re-establishing shot 42
2.12 Over-the-shoulder shot: Captain Jack Sparrow 43
3.1 Establisher shot from Friends 67
3.2 Single shot: Phoebe 68
3.3 “Action” shot: coin toss 68
3.4 Mid shot: Rachel in dialogue with Monica 69
3.5 Over-the-shoulder shot: Monica in dialogue with Rachel 70
3.6 Action shot: Joey and Chandler riding dog statue 70
3.7 Wide shot: group hug 71
4.1 Over-the-shoulder shot: Bran Stark, Game of Thrones 102
4.2 Theon Greyjoy tries to lead the crowd 103
4.3 Osha’s offer sets up a plot twist 104
4.4 “Cinematic” shot: Ygritte in dramatic landscape 104
4.5 Hand-held shot: Joffrey’s rescue from the rioters 106
4.6 Osha and Bran escape Theon 107
4.7 Tracking shot: theft of dragons sets up cliffhanger 108
5.1 Shot of Harvey Weinstein: report of #MeToo allegations 125
Figures vii
5.2 ITV News at Ten opening credit 127
5.3 Establisher studio layout and newscaster 128
5.4 Medium close-up: Rageh Omaar reads #MeToo headline 128
5.5 Close-up: Cara Delevingne reporting allegations 129
6.1 Crane shot: Love Island contestants in swimsuits 144
6.2 Crane shot: contestants compete in game 145
6.3 “Documentary” shot: contestants outside the villa 146
6.4 CCTV-style “hidden camera” shot 149
6.5 “Diary” shot: in the Beach Hut 150
6.6 “To camera” shot: presenter addresses audience for live final 152
7.1 “Face-cam” shot of PewDiePie 172
7.2 Insert shot of PewDiePie choosing the game level 174
7.3 Uncharted 4 begins with an action “cinematic” 175
7.4 “Flashback” to cutscene with lead character, Nate, as a child 175
7.5 Reverse shot: dialogue between Nate and the nun 176
7.6 Shot of “platforming” gameplay as Nate escapes the orphanage 178
7.7 PewDiePie signals the end of the episode with a “brofist”
salute to his audience 179
INTRODUCTION
Theorists vs practitioners
Can media theories help us make a good film, radio, or TV show, news report or
YouTube video? Can a detailed understanding of these processes produce ground-
breaking research? In a recent answer, a successful Hollywood producer, seemed to
suggest not. David Weddle (Battle Star Galactica, CSI and Star Trek: Deep Space 9)
contrasted the current teaching of media theory, with his own film school education
decades earlier: “yes, students read theoretical essays and books. But they were about
the nuts and bolts of moviemaking” (Weddle, 2003). Weddle’s practitioner critique
of academic theory noted its often obscure terminology, its “negative” portrayal of
the industries many students want to work in, its “political agendas”, and its ten-
dency to focus on philosophical debates, making the practical work of production
subordinate. A recent answer to the second question suggested that it is the very
requirement to understand, and teach, these practices which holds back communica-
tion research by burdening the field with a “vocational taint” (Pooley, 2008).
At the heart of this debate is an argument about the purpose of education and
the nature of learning. While some practitioners (see Hensher, 2014) believe the
essential skills of media production are innate talents which can’t be taught, others,
like Weddle, suggest that creative skills follow a “craft” model, best learned through
observation, practice and reading “how-to” books describing practical examples.
Since the origins of the mass media, there have been many attempts to pass on
such “trade secrets”, through interviews with practitioners about their working
practices (e.g. Rooney and Lou Belli, 2011), practitioners’ books detailing their
experiences of production (the classic is Goldman, 1983) or documentaries describ-
ing the “making of” specific productions (such as Coppola, 1991). However, as
Becker (1982:199) notes, there is a fundamental problem with this approach:
artists find it difficult to verbalize the general principles on which they make
their choices, or even to give any reasons at all. They often resort to such
non-communicative statements as “it sounds better that way,” “it looked
good to me,” or “it works.” That inarticulateness frustrates the researcher.
