MEVIT3515 – Digital Storytelling in Web Television: A Case Study of Skam
Course description
Course content
Skam has 4 million viewers in China. It was the most popular TV-show on Tumblr in 2017, and it is remade in France, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy and the US. Skam is in other words Norway's most popular cultural export since A-ha.
This course applies media studies to investigate how Skam - a Norwegian web-series made for girls 16-18 - has become one of Norway's most famous media phenomena, nationally and internationally.
The course will use Skam as a case to explore more general media studies questions about web television and digital storytelling. The course will specifically focus on the aesthetic and narrative possibilities offered by web television as a fiction medium.
The course is located in the intersection between television studies and studies of new media. It will investigate Skam with regard to web television history, web television production, web television aesthetics (style, narratology and genre) and reception.
The course will explore questions like:
- What is distinct for web television aesthetics?
- How can we analyze Skam and web series in general in terms of web television production, aesthetics and reception?
- How can web television be conceptualized?
- What kind of structural framework governs web television production?
- What new opportunities for representation of gender, class, religion and teenagers are found in Skam and web television series?
Learning outcome
By the end of the class you will be able to:
- Assess Skam applying relevant theory on television history and television theory, media production, media ethics, media reception and media use
- Conduct a textual analysis such as an analysis of narrative, style and genre
- Contextualize and understand Skam in a media-historical, institutional, ideological and aesthetic perspective
- Evaluate and discuss how Skam and web series relate to other audiovisual fictional forms.?
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Prerequisites
Recommended previous knowledge
We recommend that students have some previous analytical knowledge within the humanities, achieved through courses such as MEVIT1110 – Audiovisual Aesthetics, MEVIT2532 – Filmhistorie, MEVIT2700 – Medietekster: teori og analyse (discontinued), MEVIT3526 – Alternativ film (discontinued).
We recommend that students have completed at least one year of university studies before taking this course.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with MEVIT4515 – Digital Storytelling in Web Television: A Case Study of Skam (discontinued)
The course was taught in Norwegian in the autumn semester of 2016, under the title MEVIT3515 - Digital fortelling: Webserien Skam. Students who have completed the course in Norwegian will not be awarded 10 credits for retaking the course.
Teaching
The teaching will consist of a mix of lectures, seminars and group work. We expect the students to have read the suggested texts before the lectures and seminar, and that they will actively participate in the teaching.
This course has two compulsory activities. In order to qualify for the exam, students will have to complete the following:
- Minimum 75% attendance to seminars (5 out of 7 seminars)
- A mandatory oral group presentation, as well as submitting the presentation afterwards.
Both compulsory activities must be completed in order to qualify for the exam.
If you become ill or have other valid reasons for missing compulsory attendance or activities, please contact the study administration at the Department of Media and Communication. You may not submit documentation of illness via email.
Examination
Three day home exam.
You have to pass the group presentation in order to take the exam.
Submit assignments in Inspera
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read about how to submit your assignment.
Use of sources and citation
You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English.You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.
Periodic course evaluation, fall 2017 (Only in Norwegian)
Periodic course evaluation, fall 2018 (Only in Norwegian)