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.