production log

1. 1
St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
Candidate Number: 7483
Candidate Name: Brenda Bokoe
A2 Media Studies
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media –
Production Log
Evidence of Planning & Research

2. 2
Aims and Objectives
 AO2 – Assess candidates’ application of knowledge and
understanding in evaluating their own work, showing
how meanings and responses are created.
 AO3 – Assess candidates’ ability to plan and construct
media products using appropriate technical and creative
skills.
 AO4 – Assess candidates’ ability to undertake, apply and
present appropriate research.
Brief Chosen
A 45 second – 1 minute 30 second trailer for a NEW Soap Opera
that will be exhibited on at 8:30pm (after Eastenders)
that will appeal to a Male and Female audience.
YOU SHOULD research when Eastenders is scheduled (Day –
Time)

3. 3
Contents
Textual Analysis
 Eastenders
- Soap Opera Codes & Conventions
- Multi Strand Narrative
 Coronation Street
“..the home, the family, domestic tribulations and the strong woman, and as
such, it has long been said to appeal to the female viewer”
‘Masculinity and Popular television’ – Rebecca Feasey (2007)
- Is this evident and how is this presented to the audience?
Research
 Purpose of a Trailer
 Multi-Platform promotion
 Textual Analysis – Coronation Street and Hollyoaks
Deadlines – Production Work
Filming Dates:
Edited Trailer – Complete:
Promotional Poster – Complete:
Promotional Magazine Cover – Complete:
Evaluation– Complete:
Production Work
 Director – Roles & Responsibilities?
 Producer – Roles & Responsibilities?
 Institution research – BBC Two

4. 4
SoapOpera Codes & Conventions – Lesson2
1) What are some of the Codes & Conventions of this genre?
YOU MUST demonstrate what you already know by completing a
“Spider Diagram” ofwhat you know about OR expect from this genre:
2) Codes & Conventions of the SoapOpera Genre
Targets mainly
the female
audience
Suspense-
will usually
end with a
Cliffhanger
Soapopera codes and conventions
Conflict- two or more
people usually disagree
on something and this
eventually leads to a
conflict between them.
Romance- there’s
usually a love story
or something
affectionate
between two or
more characters.
Crime- will usually
have two or more
characters going
against the law due
to jealousy, seeking
revenge, or hatred
toward another
character/s resulting
to crime.
Betrayal
Multi stranded
narrative- more than
one storyline.

5. 5
The Soap Operagenre can be categorizedby the ‘repeated’
(S t e v e N e a l e ) elements of:
1. Romance
2. Family relationshipand/or conflict
3. Focus on working class communities
4. Antagonism and conflict within community
5. Realism
Eastenders (1985 – Present)
Key informationregarding this text:
 Exhibited on BBC1 and repeated on BBC Three
 One of the UK’s highest ratedprogrammes (averages 6m viewers
per episode)
 Set in the ‘Kitchen Sink’ setting of fictional Watford, East London
Textual Analysis Task
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye51O8WBVVM&feature=related -

6. 6
YOU MUST complete the Table below whilst watching the TWO promotional
trailers for the BBC Soap Opera Eastenders.
YOU SHOULDaim to identify key examples(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)
from each trailer that demonstratesyour understanding.
Extension- YOU COULD apply relevantaudiencetheory to explain what
impact these key examples would haveon the target demographic.
In your opinion, accordingto Hartley’s Seven Subjectivities, whatis the
target audiencefor Eastenders?
Age Teen-adults 16-30
Gender Mainly females
Nationality Mainly British
Trailer 1)
What is the Focus of this trailer? EastEnders Trailer: Secrets - BBC One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWyB6Nqfhv8
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
(Verbal, Non-Verbal,
Technical)
Impact on the Audience
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)
Romance
 The upset female
character who says
“I just wanna tell
him I love him”
shows there is love
or romance in this
sequence
 Man sleeping with a
girl who ran his
lorry
People who are fans of the upset female
character crying could also relate to how
she feels, this could dishearten them
hence Hartley theory of personal
identification.
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
 Letter sent saying
“rot in hell”
 Someone being
murdered
 Audience will be concerned why
anyone will wish for him to rot in
hell. This will keep them
interested and they would want to
tune into the next coming episode
to find out who sent the letter and

7. 7
 Male
character
shaving the
other male
character
saying “I’m
not finished
with you yet”
why.
 Audience will be in wondering
what he means by “I’m not
finished with you yet “ so is it a
threat? Or does he just mean not
finish shaving.
Focus on
working class
communities
Using words like ‘wanna’
instead of want to.
Kats – the audience will be able to relate
to what they are saying especially the
younger audience as this is mostly the
type of language they use nowadays
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
Murder
Secrets- voice over “we’ve
all got something to hide”
The use of a cliffhanger attracts the
audience and gives them a reason to
tune into the next episode.
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
The text message that says
“Never die” could cause a
disequilibrium as all the
shots that follow denotes
that things are not going to
be the same again.
Audiences could relate to this, as they
know the feeling of losing a loved one
especially someone who played an
important role. The behaviors of all the
characters after this death. So therefore
would want to tune in to see what will
happen next.
Trailer 2)
What is the Focus of this trailer? EastEnders Christmas 2013 TV Trailer:
It's all about to change... - BBC One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXaf9q5sbXY
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
(Verbal, Non-Verbal,
Technical)
Impact on the Audience
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

8. 8
Romance
No romance in this
sequence
Not applicable
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
 family love and
protection “stay
away from my
sister”
 again “do you
wanna find out
what I do to
protect her?”
 Personal identification as they can
relate to the love which she has for
her sister
 She used rhetorical questioning to
emphasis the sister’s relationship to
the audience. This also leaves the
audience wondering what she would
do for her sister and the strong bond
they have.
Focus on
working class
communities
Slangs like ‘gonna,
wanna’ instead of going
to or want to.
This could make the audience find this more
interesting especially as the target for this is
young people and this is their everyday
language. So Hartley’s theory of personal
relationship
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
 Secrets “I’m not
gonna say
anything I
promise on my
mother’s grave”
 Threats so people
being forced to
do things “ 250
grand or I go to
the police”
 Unforgiving
things done
“please David”
she whispers and
his reply “you’re
a monster”
 “Merry
Christmas” male
protagonist being
sarcastic because
it doesn’t seem
like it will be
merry that is
Ominous
undertones.
Multi stranded keeps the audience in
suspense. It appeals to a variety of
audiences. Different plotlines attract
different viewers.
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
The Male character who
was about to be run
over at the end of the
trailer could cause a
disequilibrium.
This keeps the audience in suspense and
wondering why someone would want to run
him over. It also makes them want to tune in
as they are not sure if the car actually hit
him so creates a good cliffhanger.

9. 9
Multi-stranded narrative
A Multi-stranded narrative can be defined as…..
-Telling a story from more than one persons point of view
-Telling multiple stories about multiple characters in an open narrative episode
YOU MUST deconstruct the 10-minute extract from Eastenders and identify where
the following elements are presented to the audience:
 Multi-stranded narrative
 Family relationships and/or conflict
 Focus on working class communities
 ‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)
 Romance
YOU SHOULD write down x1-2 examples for EACH of the elements above that are
presented.
Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience
 Multi-stranded
narrative
Ian and woman
Phil and Shirley
Albert bar
Questioning motives and
Ian’s affairs with
mysterious woman.
Possible love between
both characters.
‘Caregivers’ (Maslow)
 Family
relationships
and/or conflict
Phil and Shirley
Conflict at bar
What is their relationship
and whether there is an
underlying love for one
another.
Questions to what and
why the character Sharon
has been attacked.
 Focus on working
class communities
Sirens
Young pregnancy
Relatable to real events on
a day to day basis.
A common social issue
that is always being raised
in local communities.
Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Conflict at bar & Ian’s
predicament
The problems that arise
from these events shake
the balance of peace in the

10. 10
community by affecting
individuals.
 Romance ‘first time you fell in love’ Audience would relate to
the feeling of first love or
try to. This keeps that
inter personal
relationship Katz
SoapOpera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson3
Textual Analysis
According to Rebecca Feasey in ‘Masculinity and Popular television’ (2007), the Soap
Opera genre tends to focus on:
“..the home, the family, domestic tribulations and the strong woman, and as such, it
has long been said to appeal to the female viewer”
1) – Do you agree?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8_ApPT6isY (First 5 minutes)
Next Page - YOU MUST deconstruct the opening 5 minutes of a sequence from the
popular ITV Soap Opera Coronation Street (1960 – Present) to identify examples of
where this ideology is presented to the target audience.
YOU SHOULD also try and identify, to demonstrate your knowledge and
understanding of the genre, any Codes & Conventions associated to the Soap Opera
genre.

11. 11
Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience
Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:
1. Family
2. Financial issues at home- Most people have financial issues therefore could relate
to the domestic tribulations
3. Strong woman has a ‘central framing’ connotes how female genre also has power
“Multi-Stranded Narrative” Family at breakfast shows how family life is important
and audience can relate to this
Female character and her child
Inconvenience in the store
Tala being arrested
 Family
relationships
and/or conflict
Old woman ordering family
‘Keep your trap shut’-conflict between family members
Strong front to kid
Funeral, tragedy
 Focus on working
class communities
‘Wish we had more money’ – a common domestic issue
Helping each other out
Slang- ‘Keep your trap shut’
Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)
Do you want to eat outside?
 Romance No romance, but family together connotes
togetherness and love
 Other Themes &
Issues represented:
Tragedy/death funeral

12. 12
SoapOpera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson4
Textual Analysis
1) What is the purpose of a trailer?
The purpose of a trailer is to attract an audience to the film, with clips drawn from
the most exciting, funny or important parts of the film however in a restricted
manner and usually without producing spoilers
2) What are the benefits of Multi-Platform promotion of a media text?
 Reach a wider audience
 Gain popularity
Ultimately, some form of C o n v e r g e n c e is important when promoting a text
to the target audience.
3)
Textual Analysis –
Next Page - YOU MUST make notes on the following areas when deconstructing this
sequence from Coronation Street:
 Multi-stranded narrative
 Character dilemmas
 ‘Personal Identification’ (Katz)

13. 13
Multi-stranded narrative
-Wedding
-Male character – shot reverse shot (sexual tension?)
-Facial expressions of concern
Character dilemmas
-Marriage – groom unhappy
-‘Good luck’ – concern that it won’t go to plan or being sarcastic
-‘perfect date for a perfect wedding’ – Friday 13th is day that people refer to as an in
luck day so that date could connote that maybe something bad is going to happen
- Jealousy
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hollyoaks/4od
The above link will take you to some of the latest episodes of Hollyoaks.
1. What are the connotations of the ident for the popular Channel Four Teen
Soap Opera Hollyoaks (1995 – Present)?
-Focus on relationships/problems (promiscuity)
-Dealing with modern issues eg. Abortion
-Journey of self discovery
-conflict
-Younger 15-30
-Teen problems
-Viewpoint of both genders
Next Page - Hollyoaks – “White Wedding Trailer” -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu2sW-r9Vb4
2. YOU MUST make notes on the following areas when deconstructing this
sequence from Hollyoaks:

14. 14
 Binary opposition of the non-diegetic music
 Symbolism of the non-verbal code of the tear
 Representation of Pregnancy
 Any other examples that would impact the audience
The black wedding theme symbolizes something dangerous or even death
People putting on over dramatic smiles denote that there’s a secret they are to
covering.
China baby doll being dropped and broken denotes miscarriage.
Shot of pregnant bride – loss of innocence
Tear from left eye suggest pain, unhappiness – ‘it’s a nice day for a white wedding’
‘Shotgun wedding’ – wrong idea
Light ‘trying’ to break into church denote something dark and evil coming the path
of the characters getting married
Broken shots of bride walking down aisle
Father who is about to bless the wedding looks like vampire-evil
Production Work
1) What is the role of a Producer?
Oversee all aspects of the production across the 3 stages: Pre production,
production and post production.
Manage everyone and ensure everything is in place in order for the text to look fit
for purpose.
2) What is the role of a Director?
Oversee the creative aspects of the production.

15. 15
Direct people in front and behind the camera.
3) Institution research –
YOU MUST research the institution that your trailer will be exhibited on.
Tips: Programming, Target audience, Audience figures, History of the channel.
Brief History:
British television at the time of BBC2's launch consisted of two channels: the BBC
Television Service and the ITV network made up of smaller regional companies. Both
channels had existed in a state of competition since ITV's launch in 1955, and both had
aimed for a populist approach in response.
Audience figures:
 Has about 31,790 views weekly
 Has a range of educative programs which build knowledge such as Gardener’s
world shown on Fridays at 21:02pm or sometimes 8:32pm, and this show is
packed with good ideas, tips, advice from experts and timely reminders to get the
most out of your garden. It has about 2,215 views
 Shows more high end elite programs in comparison to BBC ONE
 Mixed genre channel appealing to a broad adult scene
 Distinctive drama, comedy and art programs
Also includes shows like:
Mary Berry cooks shown on Mondays 8:33pm. About 2,933 views
Under offer shown on Wednesdays at 8:01. It has about 2,014 views