Example introduction
When an industry is specialised, this means that it does one thing extremely well. In this essay, I shall argue that Les Revenants is the product of a specialised industry, and could only be made by a producer that specialises in TV production. Les Revenants is a French language, highly atypical horror TV show that first broadcast in 2012.
What kind of TV show is Les Revenants?
- Niche audience
- Flexi-narrative multi strand narrative, typical of TV show
- Complex
- Stereotypically French
- Slow paced
- Weird
- Atypical
- High Budget
- Polysemic
- Dark
- Depressing
- Washed out colour palette
- Mysterious
- Hermeneutic
- Unsettling
- Confusing
- Complex
Questions
- What is Canal +?
- What other shows does Canal + put out?
- Budget
- Funding
- International distribution
- Production: how was it made? Who made it? Etc
- Revenue: earnings!
- Advertising: both nationally and internationally
Findings - what kind of organisation is Canal +?
- Canal + is a multinational conglomerate. It owns a number of different channels, including Canal +, Cine Grande, Canal + Series, Canal + Foot, Canal + Kids, which indicates that it is horizontally integrated. However it also produces films, and has its own international digital streaming services, which means that it is also vertically integrated. In short, it is absolutely massive. A show like Les Revs is only possible to be produced by an enormous company like Canal +
- International distribution: in order to minimise risk and to maximise profit, Canal + chose to distribute and licence this show internationally. It was first broadcast in the UK on Channel 4, a channel with a reputation for edgy and experimental television. Channel 4 is funded through a mixture of traditional advertising and the UK TV licence. It was distributed in America on the Sundance channel, an independent, small US channel that specialises in international films and TV shows. By distributing this show internationally in a variety of different contexts, it allows the producer to minimise risk and to maximise profit, something that is only possible for the TV industry.
- The first series of Les Revenants cost $11million, which categorises this show as a surprisingly high budget. It was funded through a variety of sources, including a funding grant from Creative Europe, which amounted to 45000 euro for the first series, and a million for the second. This varied form of funding is typical for less commercially successful TV shows. In doing so, this promotes French national culture, and presents France in a positive light. This can ultimately increase foreign tourist investment. The show features many montages of attractive scenes of the beautiful French countryside
Paragraph starters
- Les Revenants is a niche show that targets a niche audience, and this is reflected in the funding of the show, which is highly typical of the television industry…
- Les Revenants is produced by Canal +, French based, internationally minded conglomerate that charges a monthly subscription fee for its premium service. This means that Les Revenants reflects the high production values of it’s producer…
- While the primary audience for Les Revenants is a domestic, French audience, the show also targets an international audience. This is typical of a specialised, multinational media conglomerate…