PLANNING YOUR OWN TELEVISION GAME SHOW
Once the exam board has released the preliminary material, you will have a clear idea of the
requirements for your own television game show, which you will need to write about in your
exam. Use the following pages to plan your television game show – you will be doing this in
lessons but it is important that you repeat this again at home during revision so that you do not
forget any key details – remember, you cannot take any notes at all into the exam with you!
THE BASICS
SCHEDULING
> Title of game show
> Sub-genre(s)
> Tagline and USP (unique selling point)
> Channel broadcast on (and why!)
> Day(s) and time broadcast (and why!)
HOST(S)
COLOUR SCHEME
> Who have you chosen?
> Why have you chosen them?
> What is their role during the game show?
> Colours used in studio (and why!)
> Colours used for contestants/team, where needed
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GAMEPLAY – EXPOSITION (INTRODUCTION)
> How is the show introduced?
> What is the audience shown/not shown at this point?
> How will the audience be hooked into the show?
GAMEPLAY – CONFLICT (ROUNDS)
> How is the game played?
> How is the studio audience involved e.g. applause, cheering, directly involved etc.?
> How will excitement/tension/interest be created?
GAMEPLAY – JEOPARDY AND RESOLUTION (FINAL ROUND)
> How is the game played?
> How will excitement and tension created?
> How is this different to the earlier rounds?
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SET AND PROPS
> What will the studio set be?
> What sort of props will be used?
> It would also be helpful for you to sketch the studio in the space below!
TITLE CARD
TITLE CARD COMMENTARY
> Design your title card in the space below (examples can be
found on the cover of this revision guide, as well as through
Google Images
> Which colours have you used and why?
> What type of typography have you used and why?
> What imagery have you used and why?
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WRITING A PITCH FOR YOUR TELEVISION GAME SHOW
In your exam, you will be required to write a pitch for your television game show. Think
‘Dragon’s Den’ – how will you convince the television company that your new game show will be
successful? Below and on the following page, write this pitch for your television game show,
being as persuasive as possible. Make sure that you:
 Use persuasive features (alliteration, superlatives, rhetorical questions, repetition etc.)
 Explain what your game show is called, who will host it and why
 Explain the gameplay and why it is interesting and exciting
 Explain who your game show will appeal to and why
 Explain your game show’s wider potential e.g. celebrity specials, international versions,
board games, video games, apps
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CREATING A POSTER/BILLBOARD FOR YOUR GAME SHOW
In your exam, you will be required to produce one creative response. This could, for example,
be to create your game show’s publicity poster/billboard. This will be a task that you will work on
during lessons, but it is very important that you repeat this during your revision, as you can’t
take any notes into your exam. You therefore need to KNOW what your poster/billboard will look
like! In the space below, design your poster/billboard, using colour, typography and imagery
appropriately and effectively.
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Now that you have created your poster/billboard, use the space below to write a commentary on
this. Ensure that you explain:
 How you have established the game show’s sub-genre
 What is signified by specific colours, images, typography, tagline etc.
 Who the poster/billboard might appeal to and why
*Look back at your analyses of other posters/billboards on Page 29-30 if you need to!
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CREATING AN OPENING SEQUENCE FOR YOUR GAME SHOW
In your exam, you will be required to produce one creative response. This could, for example,
be to create your television game show’s opening sequence. This will be a task that you will
work on during lessons, but it is very important that you repeat this during your revision, as you
can’t take any notes into your exam. You therefore need to KNOW what your opening sequence
will look like! Using the 10-frame blank storyboard on the next two pages, design your television
game show’s opening sequence, adding clear detail.
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CREATING A WEBPAGE FOR YOUR TELEVISION GAME SHOW
In your exam, you will be required to produce one creative response. This could, for example,
be to create the homepage for your television game show’s official website. This will be a task
that you will work on during lessons, but it is very important that you repeat this during your
revision, as you can’t take any notes into your exam. You therefore need to KNOW what your
webpage will look like! In the space below, design the homepage of your website, using colour,
typography and imagery appropriately and effectively.
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Now that you have created your webpage, use the space below to write a commentary on this.
Think carefully about:
 use of colours and imagery e.g. colour scheme, backgrounds
 use of screenshots e.g. what do they show, how are people represented, why are they
appealing to specific audiences
 the layout of the webpage e.g. links, categories, simplicity
 style of the webpage e.g. typography
 interactive features and their appeal
*Look back at your analyses of other webpages on Page 35-36 if you need to!
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USING NEW AND DIGITAL MEDIA WITH YOUR GAME SHOW
The use of new and digital media has become a very
good, strong way of promoting television game shows.
They allow the audience to interact with the show and
make take the form of:
 Apps
 Video-sharing (websites e.g. Youtube)
 Mobile games (e.g. for iPhone or Android)
 On-demand steaming services (e.g. ITV Hub,
BBC iplayer)
 Social networking (e.g. Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram, Snapchat)
In your exam, you will likely need to explain how you
will utilise new and digital media in order to appeal to
your audience and ensure that your game show is a
success. You may even get a question that focuses
only on this! On the following pages, plan out how you
will use new and digital media with your television
game show.
APPS
> What sort of apps might you use to tie in with our television game show?
> How will the audience access these?
> What will the content of the apps be?
VIDEO SHARING WEBSITES
> What sort of video-sharing websites might you use to tie in with your television game show?
> What will be the purpose of this?
> What will the content be?
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MOBILE GAMES
> How will you make a mobile version of the game show possible?
> How will the audience access these?
> What will the content be?
ON-DEMAND STREAMING SERVICES
> How will you use these to make the game show more accessible?
> How will the audience access these and why will it be appealing?
> What will the content of be?
SOCIAL NETWORKING
> How might you use social networking to tie in with your game show?
> How might this appeal to the audience?
> What will the content be?
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PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS
Although the actual questions that you are asked in your exam will not be known until the day of
the exam itself, previous Media Studies exams can give an indication of what you might be
asked. In the following pages are some sample exam questions that have been adapted to your
exam topic (Television Game Shows). Try to complete these in as much detail as you possible
can – remember, you will only succeed in your exam if you are thoroughly prepared!
1) We think that television game shows appeal to audiences because they use:
 exciting and/or humorous gameplay
 an effective host and relatable contestants
 high value prizes
From your research, select three examples of Television Game Shows and explain how
these ingredients have contributed to their success.
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2) How important is the role of the host of a Television Game Show? With reference to
two Television Game Shows, explain how the host(s) manage and lead events effectively.
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3) Television Game Show audiences are often encouraged to react to contestants in
different ways – e.g. to ‘root for them’ or to see them as objects of humour. With
reference to two Television Game Shows, explain how contestants are represented and
how audiences are encouraged to react to them.
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4) We are looking into creating a new Television Game Show targeted towards teenagers
and young adults. Which forms of promotion do you think would be best for this new
show? Give detailed reasons for your answer.
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5) Television Game Shows often appeal to wide audiences. With reference to two
Television Game Shows, explain, in detail, how each of them appeals to a wide range of
audience types.
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6) One of the most important features of a Television Game Show is its studio set and
props. With reference to two Television Game Shows, explain, in detail, how each of
them uses their studio effectively.
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EXAM CHECKLIST
By the time you get to the exam you MUST have your idea for a Television Game Show fully
planned out and be able to do the following:
 Reply to a letter or email, pitching your own Television Game Show in detail, making it
sound PERSUASIVE!
 Make detailed references to the success of several real Television Game Shows
 Explain, in detail, how you would promote your show using a wide range of strategies
 Explain, in detail, how you would effectively use new and digital media
 Draw the poster/billboard for the game show
 Draw the website for the game show
 Create a storyboard for the opening sequence of the game show
HINTS AND TIPS FOR THE EXAM
1) Respond to the email/letter in the pre released material IN CHARACTER
2) Make sure you address ALL of the points in the pre released material and that your
ideas suits what they want!
3) If they ask you anything about real television game shows, make sure you use a RANGE
of examples to back up your answers
4) Make sure you use media TERMINOLOGY where possible to show your knowledge and
understanding
5) Make sure you show a good understanding of REPRESENTATION and STEREOTYPES
6) Make sure you show a good understanding of all of the CONVENTIONS of television
game shows
7) If you are aiming for a B or above in the exam, then you MUST include some THEORY
somewhere in your answers
8) Make sure you check your SPELLING, PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR
9) Make sure you TIME yourself on each question. This will make sure you don’t run out of
time and give you some time at the end in order to check your work.
10) Make sure your design work LOOKS LIKE A REAL TELEVISION GAME SHOW
11) Make sure your design work SELLS the television game show to the audience and
makes them WANT to see your game show. It must be persuasive and creative and
show the examiner something DIFFERENT to other students
12) You do NOT have to colour in your designs. However, it might be wise to colour in
small portions of your work to show that you are aware of what colours would be suitable
and why. Annotating your work with notes/ideas is also a good way to gain marks.
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KEY
TERMINOLOGY
Achievers
Genre
Resolution
Advertise
Gratification
Schedule
App
Host
Set
Appeal
Ideology
Secondary audience
Audience
Institution
Signifies
Billboard
Internet
Social networking
Bonus
Jeapordy
Sound
Broadcast
Live audience
Studio
Camera work
Logo
Sub-genre
Celebrity
Makers
Synergy
Channel
Market
Tagline
Competition
Music
Target audience
Connotation
Narrative
Television
Consumer
New media
Title card
Contestant
Non-diegetic
Thinkers
Convention
Online
Typography
Cross-media campaign
Opening sequence
USP
Denotation
Primary audience
Webpage
Diegetic
Primetime
Website
E-media
Print media
Weekday
Editing
Prize
Weekend
Entertainment
Promotion
Weeknight
Experiencers
Props
Exposition
Publicity poster
Game show
Representation
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