Exam mock

Media product 1 - An excerpt from Educating Yorkshire (Channel 4, 2013)

Media Product 2 - An excerpt from Waterloo Road (BBC1, 2013)


Question 1
How do the two texts use narrative techniques to draw the attention of an audience?
The two texts use narrative techniques to draw in an audience. Educating Yorkshire is an eight-episode series based on the BAFTA award-winning series known as Educating Essex. The other media clip shown is an extract from Waterloo Road; a trailer shown on BBC1; which is a nine series show and has attracted a large amount of viewers. Throughout the clips shown, there are various narrative techniques which are evident. One theory which can be applied to both texts is Todorov's narrative theory in regards to equilibriums. Educating Yorkshire's main focus; in the clip; is on Mushy who is a boy in the series who is attempting to overcome his speech impediment. The clip shows how this character is trying to overcome the problem in an attempt to read a speech out loud. Mr Burton; who is a teacher at the school; is helping him with his disequilibrium in order to help Mushy overcome his problem. This point also links to Propp's theory of character types as Mushy can be referred to as the hero (attempting to succeed in the situation) and Mr Burton as a helper to the hero.

In the extract from Waterloo Road, Todorov's theory is also present as we are shown how a single girl is creating friction in the school and this is the first sign off this. The disequilibrium is when this girl kisses another boy; who has a girlfriend. There is then a cutaway at the reaction of the guys girlfriend which could be seen as a action code as we see her as not happy - potentially foreshadowing a fight/disagreement breaking out in the future between them two. The disequilibrium is then left unsolved as this is typical code and convention of a trailer. By Todorov's theory of equilibrium not being solved, this creates an enigma code (Barthes) as we are left wondering what is to take place in the future. Furthermore, this technique draws in the attention of the audience and almost makes viewers want to watch and find out what series of events is to take place. 

The narrative shown in Educating Yorkshire portrays a school which is