1. SOAP OPERAS
Sub-genre – (American) Fantasies
Matt Slater

2. DEFINITION:
An extreme version of the bourgeoisie‟s life styles, portrayed in its‟ extremist
form – involving money, land, and appearance.

3. DALLAS
CHARACTERS
DYNASTY
SUNSET BEACH

4. CHARACTERS
The characters in American Fantasy soap opera‟s follow the conventions formed by the mass
media, having features such as:
 Wealth, property; some even have rights
 Members of the upper class bourgeoisie, following hobbies associated with them
respectively. (EG. Horse riding)
 The cast costume involves formal wear, as well ascasual wear. Accessories such as watches,
belts and jewellery are portrayed extravagantly reflecting the wealth of the owner.
 Have important, high up, well paid jobs
 Flawless and inspirational characters

5. Lots of make-up to make
them look flawless
Extravagant costume reflect
their wealth
Powerful, wealthy gentleman
Lots of gold and silver
jewellery to portray
wealth
Hair and makeup
enhanced through the use
of lighting and framing.

6. Dallas trailer

7. THIS CLIP CONTAINS
 Big presentable houses
 Colour scheme: golden colours connoting wealth and power
 „Epic editing‟ (Tim)
 Lots of scenery shots, showing lots of land with horses; horse riding is
an upper class sport.
 All men in smart suits, holding champagne bottles connoting wealth
and power
 Shallow depth of field pulls focus onto important characters

8. DYNASTY
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOQX_Q5mhJc
This clip appears to be a montage of various different trailers for
„DYNASTY‟.

9. DYNASTY
 A common feature in this appears to be that it also contains
shallow depth of fields, that pulls focus onto important characters to
increase the seriousness of their dilemma.
 The first in the sequence has a golden frame around the shot;
cutting out any background „goings on‟ and allowing the viewer to
focus on one (or two) particular character/s; Also connoting wealth
and power.

10. Shots of big elegant
houses, surrounded by
land; Not realistic
locations. Demonstrates
how rich and wealthy the DALLAS
characters are owning such
location.
The Establishing shots emphasize
how big the houses are and how
much space they have; this
connotes wealth and greed because
nobody needs that amount of land
to themselves.

11. This necklace appears to be
quite small, suggesting it belongs
to a female; with the text
anchorage of „Fortune‟, thus
connoting it belongs someone
of great value and fortune.
This necklace appears to have been a
gift off her partner and as it appears
in the trailer, a voice over says,
“acquires a fortune” connoting that
she hasn‟t earned it however
someone else has and is prepared to
give it her.

12. STORYLINES
American Fantasy Soaps consist of similar storylines
such as:
•Affairs
•Blackmails
•Poisoning
•Flamboyant
These storylines tend to be driven with profit or
revenge as the source of stimulus, within a capitalist
society.