2. Setting
Familiar backdrops are used in Eastenders for
example people’s homes, a café and a pub.
This is so the audience can easily relate to the
characters’ situations that occur in the
particular locations. Characters’ homes are
always present to give a more in depth,
personal view into the characters’ lives and
settings like the café and the pub are there to
connote the social areas where all the
characters can share experiences and be
brought together as a community which is
typically seen in the sub genre that is a soap
opera.

3. Narrative
There are usually many storylines
within the dub genre that is soap opera.
This can be seen in Eastenders as it
follows many different character’s
stories, mainly through the form of
families.
This is conventional as it allows the
audience to experience similar
situations as all the families are diverse
so there is an opportunity for the
audience to apply the fictional families’
affairs with their own.

4. Characters
Key characteristics are always identifiable
with certain characters in soap operas. There
are usually ‘good’ and ‘bad’ characters and an
example can be seen with the picture on the
right of Kat who is displaying more of ‘bad’ ,
vixen- like character.
This is seen through the use of black clothing
to connote a darker side to her which
accompanies the amount of makeup she is
wearing to try and make her appear as more
appealing.
This type of character is conventional as the
audience will know they will be amidst of any
trouble caused and be able to tell what type of
situations they will find themselves in.

5. Themes
The themes that appear in TV dramas are
usually ones that are exaggerated, but
realistic enough so that they are easily to
relate to. This is evident in Eastenders
where the two young male characters fight
in a pub because of one of their girlfriends.
The themes violence and relationships
always appear in dramas as they are two
things that audience are likely to
experience or witness and conflict within
dramas provides excitement and allows the
audience so sympathise with a particular
character/characters.

6. Music
Although dialogue is the main form of
sound in the sub genre, ambience music
is also present as seen in the link
opposite. Chart radio music is
conventional in soap operas as in places
like pubs or family homes, it creates a
modern feel as locations like those are
rarely silent. So in effect, the ambience
music makes the situations appear http://www.youtube.com/watch?
more realistic and make the situations v=O5N4a0SoI2U
less awkward for the audience as the (2.25)
ambience music usually adds to
whatever theme is being portrayed.

7. Camerawork
Camerawork that that is always seen in
continuity editing is conventional and
always present in dramas, for example in
Eastenders one camerawork technique
used is ‘shot reverse shot’. This is key in the
genre as dialogue is the main form of sound
therefore conversation between characters
is always going to be apparent. Therefore
the technique is conventional as it helps the
audience follow the conversation clearly
and feel as if they are in the character’s
place.