Similar Characters in other Soaps and Categorization

Carrying on from our target audience profile we created as a group, I created a table comparing the characters we want in our soap to characters in exisiting soaps which also will be very similar to.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/simliar-characters-in-other-soaps-and.html

Naming our Soap

As a group we all put together ideas on different names we should name our soap and in the end we decided that we should name it 'The Walthams'.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/naming-our-soap.html

Character Profiles

I helped my group member out doing this as from the Final Soap Idea Table I created, I told her what we had decided on for each of our characters. Also, while character profiles was being made, I was doing the Similar Characters in other Soaps and Categorization which involved the age of our characters and a detailed explanation of what they are going to be like as I was relating them to existing characters in other soaps.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/character-profiles.html

Storylines in Detail

During the filming I acted in one of the scenes demostrating similary what our scene will look like in our final soap trailer. From our first take of this, I helped by doing the speaking for one of the scenes explaining what is happening. But because of techniqual problems, a reshoot was needed and I didnt do any speaking for any of the scenes.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/storylines-in-detail.html

Target Audience Profile

As a group we managed to finalise our target audience profile by splitting it up into different sections. The section I completed was talking about scheduling for existing soaps and then explaining in detail when they are shown during the week, at what times they are shown and what demographic groups they are aimed at. Also, sometimes how some soaps include extra extended soaps onto there main one to help expand their audience. From all of this I managed to work out what time our soap is going to be shown on tv and what our target audience is going to be.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/target-audience-profile.html

Final Soap Idea Table

Carrying on from developing storylines and the brief that we made as a group, I decided to write up a table of our final idea naming the characters, the locations, storylines and the target audience we are going to aim ours at including the demographic group our main audience is going to be.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/final-soap-idea-table.html

Brief

Carrying on from our developing storylines, we wrote up our final ideas for our soap now including the name of each character and the age of each character and there specific demographic group, the name of our soap and where each storyline is going to be held (location)

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/soap-brief_08.html

Developing Storylines

Using the information we gathered from our intial soap ideas, as a group we was able to decide what characters (including names and demographic groups) we was going to have and the locations each shot/storylines are going to be held.

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/developing-storylines.html

Intial soap ideas

I help contribute to this as we sat down as a group deciding what type of characters we were going to have, the socio economic groups, our target audience, storylines involved and locations in our soap

http://thejama2.blogspot.com/2010/09/initial-soap-ideas_08.html

Poster Analysis 2

Poster 2

Analysis of a TV Magazine 2

Soap Magazine Analysis 2

Poster Analysis 1

Poster 1

Analysis of a TV Magazine 1

Analysis of a TV Magazine

Soap Research video

Analysis of a soap opera trailer

Mise-en scene
The antagonist in this trailer is wearing black clothing to connote evil and death where as the protagonists are wearing light coloured clothing to connote innocence/purity.

Sound
An upbeat heart racing non-diegetic sound is used throughout the clip to help add suspense and make the trailer a lot more interesting. Also, non-diegetic sound is used when the titles flash up on the screen enhancing the effect of it by including a loud noise which attracts the audience. At the end of the trailer a voiceover is used to sum up the trailer then tell the audience what soap it is and what time it is on.

Camera angles
The trailer opens with a low angle long shot on the main character to express his importance/dominance over the situation showing he’s the one in control. Two shots are used a lot in the trailer; with the main character and each one of the victims, this allows the audience to see that he has control over both of them and he can do what he wants.

Narrative
Titles are used throughout the scene instead of a voiceover to emphasise the points for the storyline, when shown they are introduced with a loud sudden noise to help entice the audience.

Analysis of a soap opera trailer

Mise-en scene
Different parts of the square are shown throughout the trailer. The time of day is set at night time to help make the trailer dark and mysterious. Also, the dark lighting connotes the final night or one of the characters.

Sound
Throughout the trailer the non-diegetic sound of the Christmas song is used to help symbolise happens although it is played at a slow tempo to suggest nothing is happy at the moment in the square. Voiceovers are used at one point in the trailer by one of the characters, at the end of the trailer another voiceover is used to sum up the trailer then tell the audience what soap it is and what time it is on.

Camera angles
At the beginning of the trailer a tracking shot is used on the pub to possibly suggest where the event is going to take place? Extreme close ups are mostly used throughout to show the expressions on the characters faces, all being sad and upset. A reveal shot is used on the character at the end which is the main character involved in this storyline.

Narrative
Titles are used at the end of the trailer showing what soap it is and what time it is on. Only one storyline is present in the trailer

Here are the other five trailers

Analysis of soap opera trailer

All six of these trailers are linked towards the same storyline but one character is replaced in each one; the daughter telling there part of the story.
I analysed the Mercedes trailer

Mise-en scene
Individually, three characters are in the trailer each talking after each other and sometimes flicking back to them. The ‘destroyed’ setting around the characters connotes the destruction/desertion of the family.

Sound
Throughout the trailer a voiceover is used at the end summing up the trailer and telling the audience what soap it is and what time it is on. Furthermore, there are three characters talking to the you the audience slowly revealing the situation making the audience want to know more. Non-diegetic sound is used throughout the clip to help add tension towards the trailer and fits in perfectly being a slow but sad tune.

Camera angles
At the beginning of the trailer a reveal shot is used on the man presenting the main character the storyline is revolved around. Zoom shots are used on all three characters, this helps to reveal there expressions towards the audience allowing them to see the way they feel about what they are saying. Also, extreme close up shots are used on all three characters to show they are the main focus in the clip.

Narrative
Titles are used at the end of the trailer showing what soap it is and what time it is on. Only one storyline is present in the trailer and this is being explained by the three characters.

Analysis of last years soap opera trailer

I believe the storyline being plotted works because it does want me to watch what happens next although I feel that in that clip it tells you what has happened, hes found out whats happend and why the guy reacts the way he does with the girl which to me seems the storyline has been told throughout the trailer. However, the actions taking place after you do not know anything about so that also works. Instead of using text to tell the audience, I think they should of used a voice over as it adds suspense towards the audience.

Camera Angles
Close up of two girls in the car-At first the audience is not too sure what this is about but later on the actions explain itself as the message I got from what happened is the whole argument between the couple is about the girl cheating on him with another girl.
Panning and close up shot of items on the floor-The use of camera angles here cause the scene to create a mysterious and dark mood as the items have a deeper meaning making me feel that a kidnapping or possibly murder has occured here. The scene then jumps to an extreme close up of a phone on the floor with the caller ID 'Emma x' appearing on the screen as if someone is trying to contact this person and possibly for sometime deeming the idea that they have gone missing and concerns have dwelled upon this person.
Extreme close up of a lighter lit-Before this scene appears, a sinster message appears saying 'How can one person...' and then after the scene another message appears saying 'Change everything?' creates a suspense mood and the lighter connotes the destruction that this 'one person' is going to cause through fire.

Mise en scene Two settings are used throughout this trailer; starts off in a car then switches to a woodland area being the setting outside, away from civilisation which works as it connotes the secrecy of the girl that she doesnt want anyone to know about an affair. Also, the scattering of items on the floor of a woodland area that someone wants noone to know about either being a kidnapping or murder that has happened. The second setting is set inside a house, possibly the boyfriends house which works as its only the girl (the one that is seen in the car at the beginning of the trailer) and her boyfriend that she is cheating on. This helps to outline the going ons that is happening and shows the audience that she is up to something with someone else that the boy doesnt know about.

Sound and Lighting
Throughout the whole trailer, the sound works very well as it fits with the story. Reason for this is the whole trailer is pronounced as a mystery and the sound used in the background is very mysterious.
Lighting is also good as its clear at every point and easy to see what is happening aswell as it fitting with the type of scene that it is; Dark background used in the lighter scene allows the lighter to stand out very clearly also it shows that these actions are happening at night time which is typical of these types of actions because the person performing this does not want anyone to see who is doing it.

Titling
Titles used at the end works well as its clear on the name of the soap aswell as the font fitting well with the type of media that it is-soap opera and the titles after explaining the time, day and channel is clear and font works well.

Overall, I believe that the trailer for their soap is average because I am not sure if there are multiple storylines involved as the way they used transitions in there peiece.

History of soap operas

Soap operas first started in the 1930 by being broadcasted over the radio. Soap operas were being sponsored by all types of household cleaning products; hence the reason for it being a soap and the opera part came around because it refers to the dilemma’s faced by everyone on a day to day basis. The radio dramas were usually aired in 15 minute segments each day Soap Opera were broadcasted through radio stations from 1930 to 1950 when it first became televised. The Archers is the longest running soap opera. However, the soap opera Guiding light first started in 1937 when the Archers started in 1951 and became televised in 1952 but the final episode of Guiding Light was broadcast on 18 September 2009, with a total of 15,762 episodes whereas The Archers is stilling being broadcasted on BBC radio 4 with over 16,000 episodes been shown. Then came the early television serial The Grove Family on the BBC in 1954. 148 episodes were produced between 1954 to 1957 and the series was broadcast live. In the 1960s Coronation Street revolutionized UK television and quickly became a British institution, there was competition from other new soaps but Crossroads was Coronation street’s main rival; daily serial that began in 1964 and was broadcast by ITV in the early evening. However, because of the criticism of bad acting and low technical standards, Crossroads was axed in 1988 as the ratings during the 1980’s were declining and several attempts to revamp the series throughout the decade by cast changes and later, expanding the focus from the motel to the surrounding community, were unsuccessful. In 1972, a new rival for Coronation Street came along first named Emmerdale Farm then changed to Emmerdale. As the viewing figures were increasing throughout the years, in the 1980’s Emmerdale was moved to the primetime slots. In 1985, the BBC's London based soap opera Eastenders debuted and was a near instant success with viewers and critics alike, with the first episode attracting over 17 million viewers. Critics believed that there would be a downfall of Coronation Street because of the popularity of the new soap opera Eastenders, but Coronation Street continued successfully. In 1994 when the two serials were scheduled opposite each other and Coronation Street won the slot. For the better part of ten years. In 1995 Channel 4 introduced the soap opera Hollyoaks, a soap opera with a youth focus (16-24 year olds). Several Hollyoaks late night episodes have been made and a short lived spin off series Hollyoaks: Let Loose was shown in early 2006. A new subsidiary show was expected in the next few months, to be called Hollyoaks: In The City. On the 28th September 2009, they introduced another spin off called Hollyoaks later; this was to be shown over the period of one week.

A couple of viewing figures for coronation street are as followed; 7.7million viewers carried on watching coronation street when it changed from wednesday night to thursday night. Other viewing figures for other soaps:

June 07-13 2010
Eastenders, Monday 9.38 million
Coronation Street, Monday 10.07 million
Emmerdale. Monday 7.04 million
Hollyoaks Monday 1.34 million

Between soap operas and TV dramas, soap operas viewing figures overall are greater than TV dramas as they are always in the top 30 for that week. In some cases, soaps are at the top of the list although for channel 4, hollyoaks is close to the bottom. The top TV dramas listed in this week are Father & Son, Monday 5.91 million (ITV1) and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tuesday, 2.56 million (Channel 5). One reason why soap opera's are so popular is due to the relation with everyday lives of everyday people and their problems, big or small which they can relate to and possibly help them; using the theory verisimilitude.

Soap opera conventions

Soap opera conventions

As a whole, soap operas conventions are typically a constant, continuous storyline/ narrative which deals with domestic themes as well as personal and family relationships. There casts tend to be big, though there is a limit to the number of characters available at one time. So therefore the soap focus's on the details with a select few of the characters. Soaps always open with an ended story line that are usually featured or interlinked in an episode. The episode will end with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience in suspense. Three, four maybe more story lines will be in progress during any one episode, with the action switching between them. As one narrative is resolved, there will be another one with different characters beginning or being underway. They are always set around a small, central area. British soaps often feature ordinary, working class common characters. Where as, American soaps tend to be richer characters that you can’t really relate to in anyway.

Soap opera conventions in trailers

Where as in soap opera trailers, they tend to use fairly short clips but which are straight to the point to entice the audience; sometimes voiceovers which helps to explain what’s happening, short snappy shots flicking from different angles to show the main points, filmed generally in dark lighting to add effect to the storyline as usually the trailer is advertising something bad like a murder and when first shown on the TV, the clip cuts straight into the trailer then showing the title for the soap at the end.

Soap Opera questionnaire

1. What gender are you?
Male Female

2. What age range do you categorize in?
10-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+

3. What interests you the most?

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4. What attracts you to watch soaps?

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5. Do the soap opera trailers you see on TV influence you to watch them?
Yes No

6. What is your favourite soap?
Coronation Street Eastenders Emmerdale Hollyoaks Doctors

7. What is it about your favourite soap you like so much?

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8. What storylines do you find most interesting in soaps?

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9. What time of day do you think soaps are best shown at?
Morning Midday Evening After the watershed

10. What content do you wish to see in a new soap opera (i.e. types of characters, storylines, humour etc…)?

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