This document provides an analysis of two soap opera trailers - one for Eastenders and one for Hollyoaks. The analysis examines both the verbal and non-verbal codes used in each trailer to establish genre and create drama/tension. For the Eastenders trailer, these include dialogue hinting at secrets/scandal, a dramatic soundtrack, low camera angles on characters, and captions adding meaning. The Hollyoaks trailer uses dialogue about threats/crimes, a soundtrack that speeds up tension, close-ups of emotional expressions, and settings like courtrooms. The document evaluates the strengths of each, noting conventions that would be repeated or exploited in a new trailer, such as costumes allowing audience identification, dramatic scenes

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Chloe Bonner
Candidate Number: 6377
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Eastenders Trailer: ‘Secrets’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWyB6Nqfhv8
Verbal Codes –
The non diegetic dialogue of “We’ve all got something to hide” connotes that everybody in this soap opera is hiding something and that everybody
is very secretive. This is a woman speaking, which could ‘signify’ (De Saussure) that she is a heterosexual alpha female. This is ‘different’ (Steve
Neale) to how women are usually constructed as characters, as they are usually the ‘princess’ (Propp) and are in need of rescuing. Her tone of
voice is very deep, which can also connote that she is a strong, dominant female. It can also make the audience think that she is being very serious
about what she’s saying. These secrets can create scandal and drama in the soap for the audience, much to their excitement and captivation.
Also, the diegetic dialogue of “that didn’t stop you sleeping with her did it?” further ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) the scandal in this soap and that
people are having affairs, which can also help to create drama in the soap and will attract a female audience because they are the ones who are
interested in watching drama and scandal.
Another example of diegetic dialogue which has been used in this trailer is “I said I wouldn’t say anything and I meant it” this also connotes that
certain people could be protecting eachother from something. This will make the female audience want to know exactly what it is that she is
hiding for him, so they will want to watch the show so that they can find out.
The non diegetic soundtrack is very fast and dramatic which creates tension for the audience, as well as being synchronous with the action of
everybody hiding something in the trailer.
Non-Verbal Codes –
One of the non-verbal codes in this trailer that helps establish the genre (Soap Opera) is the setting of a pub. This connotes that all of the
characters in the scene are part of a working class community who go down the pub. This means that the audience can ‘personally identify’ (Katz)
with the characters in the trailer because they might also be part of a similar working class community. The costumes in this trailer are just normal
average clothing, which connotes that the characters in the trailer just dress normally. Some of the characters in this trailer are wearing dark
clothing, which ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that they are dark and mysterious characters, therefore they could be the ‘Villains’ (Propp) in the show.
The facial expressions at the beginning of this trailer are all sad as they are all at a funeral. This connotes that this media product and text can be
very emotional at times for the audience. However, towards the end of the trailer everyone’s facial expressions turn into a guilty look, as
somebody has been killed they could all be guilty, making the audience wonder who could’ve done it.
Each of the characters within this trailer all have drama in their lives, which can attract an audience as they enjoy watching the drama. Also, a prop
which has been used in this trailer is the card denoting ‘rot in hell’, which connotes that the person who died wasn’t very liked. Additionally, it
doesn’t show who opened the card in the trailer, therefore it will make the audience want to watch the show so that they can find out who it was
that opened the card.
Also, the lighting in the opening scene of this trailer has used chiaroscuro as the big window in the background is shining down on the coffin and
the rest of the lighting within the shot is low key on everyone in the church. This can ‘signify’ (De Saussure) the importance of the coffin as it
stands out the most in that scene.
One of the character roles which has been presented in this trailer is Shirley crying, which can show that she is like a ‘Princess’ (Propp) and is in
need of rescuing as she is upset about something. This conforms to the stereotypes of how women are usually represented. Also, the close up of
Peter crying connotes that he is also being very weak, which means that he is challenging the stereotype that all men are strong and dominant

3. Technical Codes –
One of the technical codes in this trailer that would impact the audience is the low camera angles of some of the characters within
this soap-opera text. For example, the establishing shot of the low camera angles of Lucy’s coffin, which helps to ‘signify’ (De
Saussure) that she was a dominant character. As these camera angles are looking up at the characters, it can connote that they are
dominant. These camera angles are also being used on a lot of characters in the show, which means that they could therefore be
guilty for the death of Lucy, which makes the audience want to know which one of them might have done it.
The technical code of close-ups of the characters facial expressions can help the audience to sympathise (‘Caregivers’ – Maslows)
with the characters. Also, there are many over the shoulder shots which have been used in this trailer which can help to give the
viewer a different perspective of the characters in the trailer.
Another technical code which has been used in this trailer is zooms. A zoom has been used on Max, zooming into his face when he
hears that Abbie knows about him and Lucy. This can help to empthasise to the audience how shocked he is and that he could
possibly be a suspect for Lucy’s death.
This trailer has used fast paced cuts, which can help the trailer to look more dramatic. They help to create tension for the audience
as there is a lot going on.
Captions have also been added into this trailer. One example of a caption which has been used is “Some Secrets” this connotes that
there is a lot of secrets going on in this TV show, which means that this could possibly cause a lot of drama between the characters
in the show.

4. Hollyoaks Spring Trailer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K064afZi_DU
Verbal Codes –
A verbal code which has been used in this trailer to help create scandal and an element of shock value is the diegetic dialogue of one of
the characters saying “I’m not looking over the shoulder for the rest of my life”.
This connotes that that she is scared of one of the characters. This means that she conforms to Propp’s ‘Princess’ character role.
However, this trailer doesn’t tell the audience who it is that she is scared of, therefore the audience will want to watch the show so that
they can find out who it is that she is scared of.
Also, the diegetic dialogue of “You’re a killer, you’re going to pay for what you’ve done” ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that there is somebody
in this programme who is trouble and that not many people like that person because of what they’ve done.
The non-diegetic soundtrack within this trailer is very slow at the beginning, but then eventually speeds up as the action in the trailer
gets more serious. This soundtrack is synchronous with the action which is going on in the trailer, where the audience are presented
with – what? Explain what themes & issues are represented.
However, this trailer has not used certain verbal codes such as sound effects and a non diegetic voiceover. This could be because the
trailer already tells the audience enough about the programme already.
Non-Verbal Codes –
One setting in this trailer is a courtroom. This connotes that some of the characters in this soap-opera text are criminals and that there
is going to be a lot of drama in this show, which can help to attract an audience as they will want to watch the show to find out about
the drama.
The costumes that the characters are wearing in this trailer is working class clothing, to connote that the characters are the same as
the audience as they are from a working class community, therefore the audience can ‘personally identify’ (Katz) with the characters.
All of the characters within this trailer all have drama in their lives. The majority of the facial expressions in this trailer are guilty,
scared or really happy as well, which conforms to the view that the characters in a typical soap-opera – as reflective of everyday life –
are bound to experience a variety of different emotions. This also ‘signifies’ the expected multi-stranded narrative generic convention
associated to this genre.
There is a mixture of high and low key lighting in this trailer, to connote the happy and sad scenes within the TV show.
The facial expression of the girl looking in the mirror when she finds out that she’s pregnant connotes that she’s scared, which means
that she conforms to the stereotypes of being a ‘Princess’ (Propp).
There is also a fire scene within this trailer. However, it doesn’t show exactly what happens in the fire scene or who/what was involved,
therefore the audience will be intrigued to know who it was which will make them want to watch the TV show. The person who started
the fire is wearing dark clothing which connotes that he is dark, evil and mysterious and conforms to Propp’s character role of a
‘Villain’.

5. Technical Codes –
A technical code which has been used in this trailer frequently is the use of close ups of all of the characters, which are presented
through fast paced cuts which exhibit close ups of all of the characters and their facial expressions, for example the girl who finds out
she’s pregnant looks very shocked.
Some of the camera angles which have been used in this trailer are low camera angles to connote that the characters within this TV
Soap-Opera are dominant as the camera is looking up at them. The cuts within this trailer are very fast paced to help create tension
for the audience. At the beginning of the trailer, it is very slow and calm. However, towards the end of the trailer the cuts speed up
and construct images of the scandalous lives of the characters within the TV show. For example there is an affair, a pregnancy, a fight
and a young couple telling each other they love each other which very effectively establishes the multi-stranded narrative of a typical
soap opera.
An example of camera movement which has been used in this trailer is a tilt from a wall down to the boy in the school uniform, who
looks shocked at something. The trailer doesn’t show the audience what it is that he sees, therefore the audience could be intrigued
and would want to watch the show.

6. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and/or ‘exploit’
(Abercrombie – 1995)
One of the conventions which I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) from the Eastenders trailer is the text captions in-between each of the cuts
in the trailer, which can help to emphasize the drama and tension within the scene and add further symbolic meanings to the trailer.
Another convention which I will ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie) from the Eastenders trailer is the costumes that the characters are wearing.
I will need to make sure that they are wearing working class clothing so it can allow the audience to ‘personally identify’ (Katz) with
the characters in the trailer.
Additionally, something which I will ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) and ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie) is the low camera angles in the trailer so that
the camera is looking up at the character, therefore it will make the character look ‘dominant’ for the audience.
However, something I would do ‘differently’ (Steve Neale) is to give more information about the show at the end of the trailer, for
example what time it is on so that people are more aware of it, rather than just saying “Eastenders on BBC one” like this trailer does.
Trailer 2) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and/or ‘exploit’
(Abercrombie – 1995)
One of the conventions that I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) from the Hollyoaks trailer is the fast paced cuts. This can connote how all of
the scenes in this Soap-Opera are very dramatic and can make the audience want to watch this programme because they will enjoy the
dramatic scenes.
Another convention which I will ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie) from this trailer is the non diegetic soundtrack so that I can make it slow at
the beginning and then fast towards the end so that it helps to create tension for the audience. However, something which I may do
‘differently’ (Steve Neale) is to add a song which has lyrics that relates to the action which will be going on in my trailer, and it could
therefore add further meanings to my trailer. Also, I will ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) and ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie) the setting that is in this
trailer, as they are very common settings such as in people’s houses, or in café’s, which can help the audience to ‘personally identify’
(Katz) with this show.
I can also ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) the dramatic scene with the cars. Therefore, there could be a car accident/crash in my trailer which
could leave the audience on a cliffhanger to whether the person who is in that car is alive or not, so they would then want to watch the
show to find out what happens next.