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1. Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Nora Bakoa-Kela
Candidate Number: 6601
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Trailer 2 – EastEnders/KAT & ALFIE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p4xlLezos0
Verbal Codes – The use of non-diegetic soundtrack which suits the setting of the trailer is the type of music you would hear in a western
movie, fits in really well with the look of the trailer as it is not in normal tone, it has the sepia tone to the trailer which further emphasizes that it
is a western setting as well as the outfits that Kat and Alfie are wearing, e.g. the cowboy boots, long coats and heavy make-up. The sense of
location gives off that Kat and Alfie are going to have a face off, perhaps due to the complications in their relationship. This then makes the
audience have a personal identification (Katz) with the characters as somewhere they may be able to relate to them in their real lives. Further
in the clip the use of dialogue through diegetic sound when Ian Beale says “flipping heck” connotes a stereotypical East Londoner which fits
into the setting of East London. Therefore those who live in the East London area can relate personally (Katz) as they may use this type of
dialogue regularly. When Kat pulls out her pocket mirror from her side bag and flips the mirror open, there is a sound effect of a gun being
pulled back, which indicates that Kat’s weapon is her mirror rather than an actual gun, indicates that again her and Alfie are in conflict and
shows how tense the situation is within the couple. This then creates a diversion (Katz) for the audience as they get a sense of escapism due
to the fact that it confuses the audience because they think that Kat has a gun but when they look it is actually a pocket mirror that in the eyes
of a woman is a powerful thing. When Kat is holding the mirror the verbal code of “where do you get a drink around here?” indicates how the
whole trailer is about conflict between Kat and Alfie but she is more worried about a drink, this allows the audience to personally identify
themselves with Kat as she uses alcohol to try and solve or runaway from her problems.
Non-Verbal Codes – Immediately when you first watch the trailer you can see the setting in the area of Walford is run down and has probably
been burnt down, by this you can see that the area is very dangerous as Jane is looking through the blinds and then gasps and quickly shuts
the blind to hide herself. This indicates her fear towards the area from what is presented is a working class community. A non-verbal code
presented is Kat and Alfie’s facial expressions towards each other which shows the hatred the have for one another. (Karl Marx) The working
class area is known as the dangerous class which fits in well with the setting of the trailer, therefore the audience are able to personally
identify themselves (Katz) with the location and some are able to identify themselves with Jane. When Kat is walking in Walford she then stops
at a point and drops a bag which is leopard print and nowadays leopard print items are seen to be for ‘chavs’ especially for people who live in
the London area, but in the past times wearing animal print showed your authority and power, therefore Kat is seen as a social climber
(Maslow) due to the fact that she is a strong character. Towards the end of trailer Alfie is revealed but in a shadow which is different to all the
other characters as they are all revealed in the light to start off with, this could show how much power Alfie lacks as he is the last to be show
as well as the fact that has the shortest amount of time in the trailer compared to Kat, which indicates how he is not dominant at all, even in his
relationship with Kat.
Technical Codes – Throughout the whole trailer a series of camera angles,shots and movement is used to connote different things, for
example Kat and Alfie are both presented with eye level shots which indicates how they are equally the same. As well as various close
ups of the other characters like Jane which show her facial expressions very clearly to possibly emphasise how worried she was when
shes sees that person walking through the square that she doesn’t know, as the square is very well known and everyone knows
everyone there. Also the shot reverse shot used from Kat to Alfie then Alfie to Kat which first goes from close up to an extreme close up
of their eyes could indicate how they will have a sort of rivalry.

3. Trailer 2 – SKINS – https://youtu.be/UOJ4LDwc37o
Verbal Codes – When you first come to light with the trailer the non-digetic sound of the soundtrack by Arcade called ready
to start is played, as soon as you hear this you get a sense of what is going to happen next as the characters are falling
down intensity of the music suits the way in which the characters are falling down in slow motion and makes the audience
feel tense. Further along in the clip as the characters are making there way down, the sound effects of the clothes being put
on the characters, for example the sound of the bracelet and the belt being put on gives a sense of security as they are being
fastened onto the characters. This could possibly be that the audience could relate to them in a way (Katz) as they could feel
as though when they put those garments on they feel the same way they do.
Non-Verbal Codes – The setting of the trailer is very plain to which is the same when the characters begin to fall down as
they are not wearing any clothes and then they gradually begin to get clothes. Which is why in the beginning of the trailer the
characters have seen to be wearing minimal clothing which symbolises innocence then once you watch you see the
characters each gain a piece of clothing , which then symbolises how they could have something to hide as they use the
clothing to do so, this could connote that the bigger the piece of clothing that each character is put on the individual the
bigger the secret and vice versa. Also in the trailer you can clearly see the characters facial expressions are different and
could connote the situation that they are in and how they each have there own problems, each facial expression represents
how they possibly feel about their situation which attracts the audience as they want to find out what is going on in each of
their lives.
Technical Codes – Throughout the trailer there are a series of shots and camera angles used to compliment the style of the
trailer and how they wanted to portray the series. For example the extreme close up used of the facial expressions of the
characters as they are falling down indicates how in the series you will get up close and personal with each of the characters
and with others not, this could mean that the audience can also possible relate to these characters in way. Low angles and
high angles were used in parts of the trailer were slow motion was happening, this connotes how when low angles shots were
used it showed how much power some of the characters have in the series and when high angle shots are used it shows how
they don’t have any power at all in the series. A lot of camera movement in the trailer is used, for example when they are
falling down tracking shots are used to follow them as they go down.

4. EVALUATION OF TEXTUAL ANALYSIS - COMPARE & CONTRAST
TRAILER 1) Areas of strengths and what you would repeat (Steve Neale)
In the Eastenders trailer the concept of the trailer is very unique in a way as they have linked the story line to a theme, which
engages the audience well in a way and makes them see it as a competition in a way between the characters, I thought that
was very good but something that I wouldn’t repeat as, the trailer that I and my group will be creating is for the generation of
now and young teens, which means that a theme like that wouldn’t suit the audience that we are trying to draw in and feel
engaged and intrigued.
However various shots used in the trailer, like the shot reverse shot may be repeated as this is an effective way to give a
message across between two characters that may have conflict between them.
Lastly the use of dialogue in the trailer is something that also may be repeated as not many trailers used dialogue in them
and I feel this is a good way to add diversity within the trailer as you don’t just have music playing in the background.
TRAILER 2) Areas of strengths and what you would repeat (Steve Neale)
In the skins trailer overall the trailer was very effective because the visuals of it gave across a strong message even though it
didn’t have any dialogue what so ever the use of slow motion and various camera angles help the trailer and strengthen it.
Also the hidden message behind why they are falling down from a high place and are not fully clothed then throughout the
trailer you see them gain a piece of clothing which connotes a different thing for each person is very unique in way that it
shows you don’t always need dialogue to produce a successful trailer.
A code that I would repeat would be the high and low angles shots used when the characters are falling down I feel as though
this gives a strong message as to why some characters had a low angle of high angle shot and why some had close ups and
extreme close ups or no close ups at all.