The Crescent
16-25 year olds
One Narrative
A range of Characters - (Age/Gender/Race)
A Grandad
A Mother and Son
A young attractive female
A 17 year old sikh teenager
-Monday-Friday 8o'clock
- Males and Females
-Channel 4
Settings:
Pub
Off License
Chip Shop
Dry Cleaners
Medical Centre
Our first idea was that we would have a scene which introduced as much about our soap as possible. Firstly the character would enter a car. We had the idea that our non diegetic sound (theme tune) would play as we press the radio button. From there we cut all the bits that are not worth seeing and have a tracking shot of the location. From their we zoom in onto certain characters and give the audience an idea of their roles. At the end we decided to have our character picking up and putting the sign down on the ground then entering his house. We have contacted Peter Lane through our family members and he has agreed to lend us a sign for our trailer. Our main aim was to try and introduce our target audience to the soap in general by using a character in a similar situation.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Conventions of Soap Trailers
-Theme Tune
-Title and Date of Showing
-Fast Pace Editing- However the use of transitions and cuts is simple.
-Reflection of certain narratives and characters
-Diegetic Sound (However Non Diegetic sound is being used more often in modern times)
- The Emmerdale 40th year anniversary trailer used slow paced editing to express the relationships between characters to the audience.
-Usually between 30-60 seconds, e.g in Eastenders the branning brothers trailer was exactly 30 seconds however the hurricane sharon trailer was closer to 60 seconds.
-Title and Date of Showing
-Fast Pace Editing- However the use of transitions and cuts is simple.
-Reflection of certain narratives and characters
-Diegetic Sound (However Non Diegetic sound is being used more often in modern times)
- The Emmerdale 40th year anniversary trailer used slow paced editing to express the relationships between characters to the audience.
-Usually between 30-60 seconds, e.g in Eastenders the branning brothers trailer was exactly 30 seconds however the hurricane sharon trailer was closer to 60 seconds.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Why are Soaps thought to be for Females?
Soaps tend to give freedom for mothers or housewives to sit down and watch something purely for entertainment. Soaps tend to use more Matriarchs to make women the more dominant in soap situations. Therefore women feel abliged to watch as they are enjoying the women being in charge. Another stereotype conveyed in soaps is that women tend to gossip. From there women feel comfortable to sit down and enjoy the soap as they have similar interests to the female characters on screen. Overall women as a general stereotype like to no whats going on in there surroundings as they are voyeuristic. Soaps give the viewer a chance to see exactly what is going on, and its comfortable for them because its other people's problems rather than their own.
Wednesday, 10 October 2012
Camerawork, Editing and Sound Conventions of Soaps
Editing:
SoundBridges- They are used to link narratives together and show that the events are happening at the same time, e.g In eastenders when a song is playing on the radio and we here it playing several times at different settingss.
Two Shots- The main purpose is to convey dialogue between two characters at one time. This also shows that mainly Diegetic Sound is used in traditional soaps. Hollyoaks challenges this convention as it uses Non Diegetic Sound.
Camerawork:
Close Ups- These are mainly used to show different characters emotions and thoughts.
Tracking and Panning- These are most common camera movements of soaps as they reflect how narratives are moving from place to place and that there is always something going on.
Sound:
All soaps have a theme tune which gives that certain soap its brand identity. This is used so that when people here the sound they think '......is on I need to go and watch it'.
SoundBridges- They are used to link narratives together and show that the events are happening at the same time, e.g In eastenders when a song is playing on the radio and we here it playing several times at different settingss.
Two Shots- The main purpose is to convey dialogue between two characters at one time. This also shows that mainly Diegetic Sound is used in traditional soaps. Hollyoaks challenges this convention as it uses Non Diegetic Sound.
Camerawork:
Close Ups- These are mainly used to show different characters emotions and thoughts.
Tracking and Panning- These are most common camera movements of soaps as they reflect how narratives are moving from place to place and that there is always something going on.
Sound:
All soaps have a theme tune which gives that certain soap its brand identity. This is used so that when people here the sound they think '......is on I need to go and watch it'.
How does Brown's Theory Relate to Soaps?
Soaps look at Brown's theory for guidance when creating soap narratives.
Uses and Gratifications Theory Conists of:
-Diversion - This is pure entertainment, although this may not be the main purpose of the soap it takes a lead role as people watch soaps for the drama and entertainment.
-Personal Identity- This is used to allow the audience to relate to different characters and narratives. This opens the opportunity for the audience to relate characters mistakes to their own and therefore they become humurous.
-Personal Relationship- Stereotypically females tend to discuss topics they have seen on soaps when sitting down in a social situation
-Surveillance- Surveillance helps to give the audience the feeling that what they are watching is real because the events on screen are up to date and display current events.
Browns theory is important when creating soaps because it relates to all the purposes of soaps. Soaps should be entertaining and have the sense of realism which is reflected by the Uses and Gratification Theory.
Uses and Gratifications Theory Conists of:
-Diversion - This is pure entertainment, although this may not be the main purpose of the soap it takes a lead role as people watch soaps for the drama and entertainment.
-Personal Identity- This is used to allow the audience to relate to different characters and narratives. This opens the opportunity for the audience to relate characters mistakes to their own and therefore they become humurous.
-Personal Relationship- Stereotypically females tend to discuss topics they have seen on soaps when sitting down in a social situation
-Surveillance- Surveillance helps to give the audience the feeling that what they are watching is real because the events on screen are up to date and display current events.
Browns theory is important when creating soaps because it relates to all the purposes of soaps. Soaps should be entertaining and have the sense of realism which is reflected by the Uses and Gratification Theory.
Gender Stereotypes in Soaps
In Traditional Soaps we would always have at least one Matriarchs:
Coronation Street - Tracy Barlow
Modern soaps use more Patriarchs:
Hollyoaks - Brendan Brady
He is a dominant male and his actions affect all the characters around him. The director will look for him to drive the narratives and link different stories together. He is looked at as being a powerful character and other characters will either shy away or try to create a good relationship with him.
Eastenders - Ian Beale
He is a weaker character and although he is a businessman and head of a family he seems to be quite vulnerable and weak when it comes to conflicts. So Eastenders is trying to challenge the major gender stereotypes.
Eastenders - Peggy Mitchell
Peggy mitchell was portrayed as a matriarch as she was the landlady at the local pub on albert square. She is given a lot of power even though she's female and everybody knows exactly who she is. This is deliberately done to allow women to feel satisfied that it isn't always the men who are dominant.
Coronation Street - Tracy Barlow
This is a traditional convention in soaps and there dominant actions help to link storylines together. For example they may gossip and then create controversy because of there dominance creating a chain reaction.
Modern soaps use more Patriarchs:
Hollyoaks - Brendan Brady
He is a dominant male and his actions affect all the characters around him. The director will look for him to drive the narratives and link different stories together. He is looked at as being a powerful character and other characters will either shy away or try to create a good relationship with him.
Eastenders - Ian Beale
He is a weaker character and although he is a businessman and head of a family he seems to be quite vulnerable and weak when it comes to conflicts. So Eastenders is trying to challenge the major gender stereotypes.
Typical Soap Settings
A Local Pub, E.g The Queen Victoria (Eastenders)
Off Licence/ Corner Shop, E.g Corner Shop (Coronation Street)
Mechanic Service Station, E.g The Arches (Eastenders)
More modern soaps such as hollyoaks tend to use more lively settings which appeal to a younger audience, E.g nightclubs:
Sixth Form College:
The traditional soaps such as Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale all tend to use similar comfortable settings. On the other hand more modern soaps express new trends which appeal to a younger audience and begin to challenge traditional stereotypes.
Off Licence/ Corner Shop, E.g Corner Shop (Coronation Street)
Mechanic Service Station, E.g The Arches (Eastenders)
More modern soaps such as hollyoaks tend to use more lively settings which appeal to a younger audience, E.g nightclubs:
Sixth Form College:
The traditional soaps such as Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale all tend to use similar comfortable settings. On the other hand more modern soaps express new trends which appeal to a younger audience and begin to challenge traditional stereotypes.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Audience Theories
CopyCat- This theory relates to how some people tend to copy characters actions from movies. For example in 'a childs play' the final scene is very similar to the kidnapping of James Bulger by Thomson and Venables. They carried out the killing of the young boy in a similar way to which the film 'a childs play' finishes.
Hyperdermic Syringe- The audience wants to be filled with information from the programme.
Desensitisation- This is when the actions on screen effects the audience and makes them think about the actions in a more natural way. The audience begins to think that the scenes they are seeing are real and therefore acceptable in society.
Uses and Gratifaction (Blumer and Katz) - This is broken down into different audience pleasures. Diversion, Personal Identity, Personal Relationship and Surveillance. The theory refers to how the audience enjoy what they watch and how they share it with others.
Diversion- Fatboy from Eastenders could say something humurous and as a result it makes you laugh.
Surveillance- In one of the episodes of Eastenders there was olympic banners in the square advertising the Olympics. This makes the audience feel that they are up to date with current events and therefore receive an audience pleasure.
Personal Relationship- Hearing a Joke on Coronation Street and discussing it with your friend the day after.
Personal Identity- Different characters display different personalities as a result we can relate to there actions because it may be similar to something we have done or seen before. As a result we laugh because we have had the same thing happen to us.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Meeting a social need, and developing yourself.
Hyperdermic Syringe- The audience wants to be filled with information from the programme.
Desensitisation- This is when the actions on screen effects the audience and makes them think about the actions in a more natural way. The audience begins to think that the scenes they are seeing are real and therefore acceptable in society.
Uses and Gratifaction (Blumer and Katz) - This is broken down into different audience pleasures. Diversion, Personal Identity, Personal Relationship and Surveillance. The theory refers to how the audience enjoy what they watch and how they share it with others.
Diversion- Fatboy from Eastenders could say something humurous and as a result it makes you laugh.
Surveillance- In one of the episodes of Eastenders there was olympic banners in the square advertising the Olympics. This makes the audience feel that they are up to date with current events and therefore receive an audience pleasure.
Personal Relationship- Hearing a Joke on Coronation Street and discussing it with your friend the day after.
Personal Identity- Different characters display different personalities as a result we can relate to there actions because it may be similar to something we have done or seen before. As a result we laugh because we have had the same thing happen to us.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Meeting a social need, and developing yourself.
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