House of Cards Revision- 10/05/2019 TECHNOLOGY

Influence of technological change in the House of Cards

Long form tv drama- a show that runs in series over years
features:
intense beginning to grip the audience
cliffhangers to maintain interest and attention
dialogue led

Budget for HOC:
It has been recorded that it costs about $60million per HOC season.
The show, which is set to enter its fifth season, reportedly started at $4.5 million an episode and has gone up in cost since then. As you can probably guess, a large chunk of that money goes toward paying the salaries of its A-list cast, which includes Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. 

Technological context
Streaming is available due to the fast 4G networks and therefore it is available on the streaming services such as Netflix.

•CGI allowing visual effects even within TV budgets

•Drones allowing ariel photography (ref. opening sequence of HOC and Washington)

•Developments in Streaming e.g. 5G (generation) fibre optic technology which has enabled digital streaming service providers such as Netflix and Amazon to provide TV viewing.

This means that the way we consume TV has radically changed  as a result of high speed broadband connections.

–Consumers can view programmes outside of a TV schedule

–Programmes can be watched as a complete series (binge watching)

–Programmes can be watched on phones and tablets 

Cultural context

Tv can now be watched independently, in different rooms due to technological change as now everyone has the streaming services available and owns either an tablet (ipad) or laptops or a phone at least.  (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime)

House of Cards- Digital Cameras

•House of Cards was shot entirely in digital using “Red Epic” cameras.

•Production, editing and distribution are lower for digital enabling high  end outcomes at a lower price.

•The quality of output enables images to be created at a high resolution suited to large screen format  HD and 4K televisions.

Netflix

•In just a decade, Netflix has grown from a video service with seven million U.S. subscribers to one that reaches 93 million people worldwide.

•When Netflix first launched in the late 1990s, it distributed DVDs – mainly films – by mail.

•during the early 2000s, advances in compression technology – coupled with more homes gaining access to high-speed internet services – allowed large video files to be easily streamed over the internet.

•video streaming services such as Netflix deliver programming “on demand” via the internet, viewers can choose what and when to watch instead of watching “what’s on.”

•Subscription TV therefore offers significant benefits to terrestial TV.

•Netflix has developed its global market with a presence in 190 countries.

•Its popularity is achieved by providing high production content in several TV serial genres.  This includes complicated serial dramas (“House of Cards”), action series (“Daredevil”), horror series (“Hemlock Grove”). 

Globalisation 

People living in other countries are able to watch long form tv dramas that originate from different countries. The streaming services allow people to watch long form tv dramas no matter where they are located around the world. 

How Long form dramas came into being.

Digital (streaming)

•Netflix  - In just a decade, Netflix has grown from a video service with seven million U.S. subscribers to one that reaches 93 million people worldwide.

•The company's now worth about $60 billion

•2016, Netflix spent $5 billion on original programming.

•The income from subscribers has allowed them to commission highly rated long form TV dramas such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.

•2017 sales rose to $2.48 billion. With a global presence in 190 countries.

$3.8million per episode for the HOC. 

$60 million per season for the HOC.

Around 15 episodes in a season for the HOC.