Textual analysis of two soap operas for A2 Media Studies

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

2. Trailer 1 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81XbIbl05XI Hollyoaks
Verbal Codes – Comment on the use of Dialogue, Voiceover, Sound Effects or Soundtrack
The verbal diegetic code of “I need my baby boy” emotionally engages the audience as we discover that a woman has lost her baby, which is later confirmed with a
baby boy in the hands of a villainous character who says “If your serial killer Mum does want you back she’ll have to go through me.” This verbal code hints at a
multi stranded plot and questions the audience as to who is the real villain in this series without giving too much of the narrative away. Furthermore the verbal
diegetic code of “Today I’m marrying the wrong man”, could expose some of the themes addressed in the series such as adultery, which gives the text a Soap
Opera status. In the background there is a verbal non-diegetic soundtrack, which is used directly to match the dramatic tone of the series, this continues until the
climax of a door slamming open and “Hollyoaks, this week at 4:30 on 4”.
Non-Verbal Codes – Comment on the use of Setting, Lighting, Costumes, Facial Expressions and Characters
Noticeably, the promotional trailer uses the characters and their facial expressions to match the tone of the production. The women present in the opening scene
of the trailer initially avoids eye contact as she says how she feels she is marrying the wrong man, however she looks him in the eyes which could connote she may
be a dominant woman. In accordance with Rebecca Feasey, due to the Soap Opera’s appeal to a female audience, men were often portrayed as very simple
minded characters only present to supoort the very female orientated narrative. As more men started to watch Soap Opera’s during prime time television, writers
were able to develop male characters and create stories orientated around them. This is ironic as typically women are displayed as the ‘damsel in distress’ (Prop)
and the men to be the “Prince” (Propp) in the series. The scorpion tattoo on the man in the opening scene’s neck could connote how he is dangerous and a risk for
the women he is talking to, as scorpions are generally known to be a venomous, hazardous creature. Additionally the woman who is looking after the baby is
present in a leopard print room and she is wearing red lipstick. The red lipstick could initially connote danger, whereas the leopard print walls could ‘signify’ (De
Saussure) that she is wild and dangerous like a Leopard. Furthermore the elderly man, who is presumed to be the villain of the series is lit in low key, darker
lighting, which could further connote his role (Propp) as a villain in the series. The majority of trailer is lit in low key natural lighting, which could connote how the
producers of the show are attempting to make the Soap Opera as accurate to real life as possible. Additionally in the scene towards the end, we see a women
locked in a dark room, on the other side of the door from the other cast, which could symbolize (De Saussure) how she has been influenced by ‘the dark side’,
leading her to make bad decisions, hinting towards a suicide attempt.
Technical Codes – Comment on the use of Camera Angles, Shot Types and Camera Movement
The older man in the foreground in the technical code of establishing shot is primarily in focus as opposed to the women in the background who is out of focus.
This denotes the focus on the man and how he is likely to be a principle character in this series. Another shot of the man’s mouth is used to connote how the
woman has no focus on the man himself but only the words he is saying. The technical code of a low camera angle in the shot of the woman talking to the child
could connote how the baby looks up to the mother despite the mother not being the baby’s real mother. This could hint towards conflict between the real mother
and the fake mother as to who is going to be the mother of the child. The fast paced cuts in the trailer could hint towards the pace of the series and the events
that take place. The broken frame shot of the women behind the glass door could ‘signify’ (De Saussure) how she is attempting to distance herself from the world
and her friends in the form of suicide or other means.

3. Trailer 2 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCxWF9Kr3gQ Eastenders
Verbal Codes – Comment on the use of Dialogue, Voiceover, Sound Effects or Soundtrack
Primarily the verbal diegetic code of “Not Yet, it will break his heart,” hints towards a multi stranded plot development that will have a direct impact on the young
boy featured in the trailer. The verbal code “break his heart” is symbolic (De Saussure) of a death of a character, in this case his mother, which is ironic as it is
stated that his heart will get broken. Additionally the diegetic verbal code of diegetic “I can’t do this…the wedding,” engages the audience and influences them to
get engaged with the plot as the audience want to know why she can’t go through with the wedding. The mother of the child then states “I’ll ring your father and
he can sort you out”, which is aimed at her son who has presumably done something wrong. The denotation of the mother asking the father for help could
connote how she has a lack of power in the family and how without the father she is weak and vulnerable. This ideology is carried forward as we see the child
attacking the mother in the closing shot. Furthermore, the verbal code of “Do you understand me” is ironic as clearly there is a lack of understanding between the
mother and child hence why he attacks her. Throughout the sequence there is a low key, non-diegetic dramatic soundtrack in the background, which leads the
audience to focus on the action and story as opposed to the background music. Also the loud, post produced sound effect of the mirror hitting floor echoes
throughout the scene, which explores how the bad things the child has are still echoing in his head.
Non-Verbal Codes – Comment on the use of Setting, Lighting , Costumes, Facial Expressions and Characters
In the opening shot the audience see the young boy damaging the family car, which could connote how the child is attempting to distance himself from the family
and how he may have a damaged relationship with his family. Furthermore, there is a picture in the bottom left hand corner of the image of the child’s parents and
he is looking in the general direction of it, which could suggest how he blames them for all of his wrong doings, or how he cannot get them out of his head.
Additionally, the women who is talking to her fiancé, is wearing red lipstick, which could connote that she is dangerous towards her fiancé. Furthermore the
denotation of the woman chasing her son out of the door could symbolize (De Saussure) how she is determined to keep the family together and doesn't want her
son to leave her. Her son then raises is hockey stick towards the mother, which is significant as it is likely that the mother brought the hockey stick for the child,
which connotes how the child’s wrong doing might be due to the way he was raised. The majority of trailer is lit in low key natural lighting, which could connote
how the producers of the show are attempting to make the Soap Opera as accurate to real life as possible. However, in the scene where the man and woman are
discussing their marriage in bed, the man is in the light and the woman in the dark, which could suggest that the woman is in the wrong and the man is in the right.
This could additionally hint towards the women maybe cheating on the man or doing something behind his back that would upset him. The child in this trailer is
represented as the villain (Propp) toward the end of the trailer in an attempt to injure his mother, the damsel in distress (Propp) with a hockey stick, however in
the rest of the trailer he could be seen as a failed prince (Propp) as everything is going against him. This is ironic as the boy is younger than the women which would
lead the audience to believe that the mother would have dominance over her son, however this is not the case.
Technical Codes – Comment on the use of Camera Angles, Shot Types and Camera Movement
Primarily the broken frame shot of the boy through the door, connotes how the boy has been left out of the conversation and how he might not have a complete
understanding of the situation. Furthermore, the technical code of the zoom in on the boy blocks his parents out of the scene connoting how he is pushing them
out of his life and focusing on himself. Additionally the high angle shot of the women walking up the stairs with the verbal code “You’re getting married today
right?”, could connote how the woman is overwhelmed by the thought of marriage and how she sees it as a burden hanging over her. Also, the denotation of the
boy moving out of the shot could connote how he is leaving behind what he once was to violently hurt his mother as the camera does not follow him. There is
additionally a low camera angle used of the mother to signify (De Saussure) how she should stereotypically have dominance over her son but ironically he is the
one in control.

4. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) or “exploit”
(Abercrombie – 1995)
Ideally I would like to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) the denotation of red lipstick to signify
evil and danger in the sequence. Furthermore I like the idea of a broken frame shot to
‘signify’ (De Saussure) to how a character is distanced from other people. Additionally, I
would like to exploit (Abercrombie- 1995) the limited dialogue with a dramatic soundtrack in
the background, as this helps builds tension and makes the audience look forward to the
rest of the series.
Trailer 2) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) or “exploit”
(Abercrombie – 1995)
The opening sequence of action is particularly useful in engaging the audience and exposing
the characters for what they really are. I also like the bridge soundtrack used as a diegetic
voiceover to explain the action happening on the screen. Furthermore I like the cliffhanger
at the end of the sequence that hints towards the child hitting the mother but we don’t
actually see it. I would like to exploit (Abercrombie-1995) the use of the soundtrack in this
trailer as it sets a very dark tone to the trailer and builds suspense effectively.