Media Guide
Film and series guidance to extend the unit through authentic language exposure.
Lesson objectives
- Use authentic audiovisual material to deepen the unit theme.
- Notice how advanced language works in real public media.
- Extend vocabulary and discussion around entrepreneurship & start-ups through film and series.
Cine & Series — Entrepreneurship & Start-ups
Utilizar contenido audiovisual auténtico te permite familiarizarte con el ritmo natural del inglés y con el vocabulario especializado que no suele aparecer en los libros de texto. Para alcanzar el nivel C1, no basta con entender la trama; debes analizar los matices del registro y las estructuras gramaticales avanzadas que utilizan los hablantes nativos.
Recommended title
- Title: The Playlist (2022), Netflix
- Accent/dialect: Primarily Swedish (original), but the English dubbing/subtitles provide excellent exposure to international business English. (Note: For a purely British/American focus, The Social Network is a classic, but The Playlist offers a modern, multi-perspective narrative perfect for C1 analysis).
- Why it's perfect for C1: The series explores the intersection of technology, music, and business. It features high-density vocabulary regarding venture capital, intellectual property, and disruptive innovation, while the non-linear storytelling forces you to track complex timelines.
- Episodes to start with: Watch the entire limited series (6 episodes).
Language focus
1. "We are about to disrupt the entire music industry as we know it." - Vocabulary note: to disrupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/ (interrumpir/alterar/revolucionar) — To change the traditional way an industry operates. - Grammar spotlight: Be about to is used here to express an action that is on the verge of happening in the immediate future.
2. "By the time the legal battle concludes, they will have been fighting for their vision for years." - Vocabulary note: legal battle /ˈliːɡəl ˈbætəl/ (batalla legal/litigio) — A prolonged dispute in a court of law. - Grammar spotlight: Future Perfect Continuous (will have been fighting) is used to emphasise the duration of an action that will be completed at a specific point in the future.
3. "The expansion into global markets is bound to be controversial." - Vocabulary note: controversial /ˌkɒntrəˈvɜːʃəl/ (polémico/controvertido) — Giving rise to public disagreement. - Grammar spotlight: Be bound to expresses a strong certainty or something that is inevitable.
Viewing task (active watching)
- Vocabulary Log: Note down at least 10 new words or idiomatic expressions per episode. Focus on business and tech terms.
- Register Shift Analysis: Identify moments where the characters switch from informal "startup talk" (slang, casual) to formal "investor talk" (professional, precise).
- Future Form Hunt: Listen specifically for expressions of certainty (bound to) or scheduled events (due to) and write down the sentence to see how they function in context.
- Scene Summary: After each episode, write a 3-sentence summary in English. You must use at least one "future form" (e.g., "The CEO is due to meet the board tomorrow...") to practice.
Similar titles
- The Social Network (2010): An essential film for high-level business English and fast-paced dialogue.
- Silicon Valley (HBO): Excellent for understanding tech industry jargon and much more informal, colloquial English.