American fantasy soap operas typically feature wealthy upper-class characters who live extravagant lifestyles. The characters have large estates and possessions that reflect their immense wealth. They wear expensive clothing and accessories and are often portrayed doing luxurious activities like horseback riding. Interpersonal drama and conflict between characters commonly involve affairs, blackmail, and other schemes typically motivated by money or revenge.

1. Sub-genre – (American) Fantasies
By Timothy Clarke

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

3. Characters
DALLAS DYNASTY
SUNSET
BEACH

4. CHARACTERS
Characters in American Fantasy soap opera’s typically
follow the conventions of having these features:
 They have wealth, property, and some have rights
 They are members of the upper class bourgeoisie, and
follow hobbies associated with them respectively. (I.E
Horse riding)
 The casts costumes involve formal wear, as well as
very good condition casual wear. Accessories such as
watches, belts, jewellery are extravagantly portrayed
reflecting the wealth they own.
 Have important jobs
 Are flawless, inspirational characters

5. Lots of make-up to make
them look flawless
Extravagant costume
Billionaire, playboy,
philanthropist
Lots of gold and silver
jewellery
All of their hair is done,
they look like they have
spent lots of time
getting ready to make
themselves look good

6.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOZB
nIhRF9Y

7. This clip contains
 Big smart houses
 Start of clip is all gold colours connoting wealth
 Epic editing
 Lots of scenery shots, showing lots of land with
horses, horse riding high class sport.
 All men in smart suits, holding champagne bottles
 Shallow depth of field pulls focus onto important
characters

8.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOQ
X_Q5mhJc
This clip also contains shallow depth of
fields, that pulls focus onto important
characters to increase the seriousness
of their dilemma.

9. Shots of big rich houses,
surrounded by land- Not
realistic locations,
demonstrates how rich
and wealthy the
characters are DALLAS
The Establishing shots
from far away
emphasize how big the
houses are and how
much space they have

10. 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.