1020

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Jessica Blundell
Candidate Number: 1020
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Trailer 1: Eastenders
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkPP0aWoe2E)
Verbal Codes: The trailer starts with a non-diegetic piano instrumental playing over diegetic dialogue. This music has a
low and serious mood, foreshadowing what is to come in that month of the soap. Furthermore, the music undoubtedly
makes the trailer more dramatic, reflecting how dramatic the lives of the characters are. Other examples of verbal codes
in this trailer is the ironic use of “to the happy family”. This would suggest (‘enigma clue’ – Roland Barthes) that the
families in the soap are happy and looking forward to what is to come, however, as the audience can tell from the non
verbal code of facial expressions; this is not the case in the fictional world of ‘Albert Square’. Further examples of
diegetic dialogue is the statements “you’ve been following me” and “there’s something you need to know”. This
connotes that there is a lot of secrecy amongst characters in this soap which could entice the audience to watch the
soap as they want to find out what secrets are hidden by the characters and watch the secrets be exposed. The trailer, in
terms of verbal codes, then takes a particularly dramatic turn as the character ‘Kat’ is seen shouting extremely loudly
“you stole my son” which connotes she has just found out due to her frustration, linking back to how there is a lot of
secrecy in the soap. This is the point where the non-diegetic piano music stops playing, this suggests that this character
is strong and can get what she wants, which can invite the audience as they want to see how she is going to get her son
back or what she will do to the character who stole her son. Straight after this we hear the character ‘Stacey’ saying “I
never said you could touch him”. The same character also says in this trailer. This interlinks with ‘Kat’ because, she too,
appears as though she never agreed another character could take her son. The same character says near the end “I
don’t understand – I’m confused’. This makes her appear like a vulnerable character who needs help, suggesting that
this soap will allow the audience to watch her either become worse or better, which can possibly make them want to
watch it. These examples of dialogue would invite ‘caregivers’ (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) because all of the
characters are in dark places and unhappy which would encourage this group of people to sympathies with the
characters. Moreover, when Stacey is outside with her baby and looking afraid the audience hears the voiceover of the
character ‘Dot’ during the non diegetic sound bridge, could ‘signify’ (De Saussure) that others are looking out for her,
attracting the ‘caregivers’ because they too are looking out for the characters and concerned about them. There are also
sound effects which sound like clashing in-between different shots, this raises the drama and makes the trailer more
chaotic which represents the lives of the characters as they are often seen as having busy and unpredictable lives.

3. Non-verbal codes: At the beginning of this trailer the audience are greeted with a seemingly happy, utopian setting
with happy characters, however, when the audience sees Kat drinking as well as a fed up facial expression like
Stacey, the audience realizes that there is a darker side to Eastenders. The fact Kat drinks could symbolize her
desperation to escape the world she lives in because of things she keeps hidden. However, Stacey cannot drink
which could support how later in the trailer she appears to be losing her sanity because she cannot escape the
world of Albert Square. Stacey is also seen wearing a red maternity top, this highlights how she is looking after the
baby more than herself, especially as she appears to be trying to calm it down when in fact she is getting more
stressed herself. The red connotes how she is in danger and needs a savior. This can be seen to ‘divert’ (Katz’ Uses
and gratifications) because this character is going through so much that the audience will forget the struggles of
their everyday lives and become immersed in the situation of this character. Similarly, the character Kat is also
wearing a red top which in this case could represent the anger and aggression she is soon to show on the soap
because of the truths that have been revealed to her by the nun. Her facial expression when listening to the nun
also displays an essence of anger but also a sense of fear. This will attract ‘caregivers’ (Maslow's hierarchy of needs)
because this character is going through a negative situation and the audience who have this title will want to watch
and find out how this character will get through a difficult time. This will also ‘divert’ (Katz) the audience from their
everyday lives as this is a situation the majority of the audience wont have been through, therefore they wont link it
to their lives and will become completely engrossed in the soap. This could give audiences a reason to watch the
soap from watching the trailer. The end of the trailer undoubtedly becomes focused on Stacey. The camera zooms in
on her face which signifies (De Saussure) her problems are getting the better of her and she is not able to escape.
The final part of the trailer displays her on a roof completely surrounded by darkness whereas the rest of the square
is lit up by coloured lights. This connotes how she is completely separated from reality and the other characters,
isolating her and alienating her. This will again attract ‘caregivers’ because they’ll become concerned about her.
Furthermore, there is a birds-eye view of her and the camera zooms further away from her at a fast pace. At the end
she is looking up at the sky. This could be seen by religious people as her looking up at the sky because she is
turning to religion to get help which she thinks no one else could give her.
Trailer 1: Eastenders

4. Technical codes: The zooming in suggests that the characters’ problems are catching up with them
and they cant escape them. The end of the trailer undoubtedly becomes focused on Stacey. The
camera zooms in on her face which ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) her problems are getting the better of
her and she is not able to escape. The tracking of Stacey connotes that she is trying to escape her
problems but they are constantly chasing her, and others are watching her break down because of
this. When she is walking during the tracking there is a low angle shot of her, this denotes how she
could feel this is her position to others and others are superior to her, which could perhaps be the
reason that in the trailer she appears to be running from everyone else possibly because she is
intimidated by them. At the end there is a Birdseye view of her and the camera zooms further away
from her at a fast pace. This connotes how she is distancing herself from everyone else because she
appears to be scared and confused. In between different scenes in the trailer the screen quickly fades
out to black and fades in again with a new scene. This suggests that the soap is fast paced and that
the audience will have to watch regularly to keep up with the storylines. The over the shoulder shot
looking at Stacey could suggest that no one can get close to her because she wont let them due to
the fact it looks as if she is not well. This will invite the ‘caregivers’ (Maslow's hierarchy of needs)
because they will want to see other characters get close enough to be able to get her the help she
appears to need. The mid shot of Kat banging on the door suggests that her anger means that other
characters should stay away and that she is stuck between knowing part of the truth about her son
and the whole truth, and wants to have the whole truth about what happened, which could divert
(katz uses and gratifications) from their every day lives as this is a story that is unlikely for most of the
population and audience of EastEnders.
Trailer 1: Eastenders

6. Trailer 2 – Hollyoaks -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9V-L5Tewi0
Verbal Codes –
Throughout this trailer there is non diegetic instrumental music playing throughout which is happy at the
start, but as it goes on it grows more tense and dark which connotes how a character or a situation may
seem happy at the beginning but there is often underlying drama and issues. The music is quite chaotic
and fast paced which represents the characters lives and how they are intense, as well as how there are
always changes in their lives which can be potentially disruptive. The music also builds tension as the
drama in the dialogue rises, which builds anticipation for the current audience or a potential new
audience as the drama can ‘divert’ (Katz) them from their every day lives. The audience can tell how
quickly things change in the fictional world of Hollyoaks as at the beginning the character ‘Grace’ says
‘I’m really looking forward to this wedding’ in a calm and happy tone of voice, and then at the end she
says ‘if he doesn’t turn up there isn't going to be a wedding because it will be his funeral’. Here she is
shouting and is very angry, supporting the idea that the characters lives change quickly and with no
warning. Furthermore, at the end of the trailer there is a non diegetic voiceover of one of the characters
who is in prison saying ‘when I set out to make someone pay they always do – so get me out of here
quickly’. This creates an intimidating atmosphere in the soap because this character appears to have the
ability to be a threat to others when he wants revenge, both inside prison and even more so outside. This
will possibly invite the ‘caregivers’ (Maslow) because they want to know that the characters will be safe
from this character if he decides he wants revenge. The fact there is a voiceover could suggest this
character can be heard outside of prison which further suggests that he can be seen as a threat by other
characters and the audience.

7. Non-Verbal Codes –The character Grace is wearing white throughout the trailer which connotes how she
is innocent in the situation she is in and needs others to help her. She also wears a tiara at one point
which could connote that she is respected and looked up to by others. One character in the middle of the
trailer is seen wearing a grey hoodie over a dark top which suggests that he like others in this soap has
his good and bad side, and at that moment his angry side was showing as he is violently pushing things
off of a desk. This could make him appear like a threat which could make the audience concerned for the
other characters of the soap. Furthermore, there is a prisoner who is wearing red and scenes of prison
bars are shown. This denotes him as dangerous and makes the audience wonder why he is there.
Furthermore, one character is seen with blood on his face which creates mystery because the audience
wont know how it happened
Technical Codes –
Near the beginning there is a mid shot of a female character walking into a busy area looking at other
characters behind the camera. There is then a close up of her face. This could suggest that she wants to
reveal something and potentially ruin something for other characters. Both shots are fast paced and
don’t last on screen for long which connotes that she knows something which could destroy something in
a short amount of time. There is a match on action when there is a male character looking at the church,
and when the church is shown there is a tilt. This ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that the characters always have
to think about their futures, however, there is always more that what is on the surface and they have to
think carefully about it. The broken frame shot in the prison where there are prison bars connotes that
the characters hide things and perhaps block people from finding out the truth about things which can
cause a lot of tension in this soap.

9. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve
Neale) or “exploit” (Abercrombie – 1995)
I would “repeat” (Steve Neale - 1980) the use of music in the
background because it helps to create tension and also helps to
represent the characters lives, creating a dramatic atmosphere that
soaps should have.
I would “exploit” (Abercrombie - 1995) the use of coloured clothing to
help represent the characters’ personalities so that before the
audience even watch the soap they get an idea of what that character
is like.
I would “repeat” the tracking because as more will be going on in that
time which creates a chaotic and intense feel when the audience
watch it.

10. Trailer 2) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve
Neale) or “exploit” (Abercrombie – 1995)
I would “repeat” (Steve Neale - 1980) the idea of showing how things
have changed so quickly throughout the trailer by using dialogue in
order to make the audience want to see why something has changed
or happened so quickly.
I would “exploit” (Abercrombie - 1995) the use of different coloured
clothes, like white, to represent what characters are vulnerable.
I would “repeat” the use of match on action because it will give the
audience an idea of what the characters are going through which can
create a sense of sympathy or perhaps anger which would entice
people into watching the soap.