This mind map outlines pre-production planning for a new soap opera called "The Dark Horse". It identifies key elements such as the title/connotations, protagonists and antagonists, social issues that will be addressed like pregnancy and murder, and locations like a pub and woodlands that will be used. Competition from other soaps like EastEnders and Emmerdale is acknowledged, with the goal of attracting an audience of females ages 15-60 who enjoy crime drama. Permission to film on school grounds and nearby areas between September and November will be formally requested from the local council.

1. Mind Map –
Pre Production Planning

2. Name of the show (Connotations)
The Dark Horse – Evil character who you wouldn’t expect.
Ivy
Anonymous
Sinner – There is going to be a serious crime
Burnt Oak
Boston Manor – Stereotypical name of Soap Opera meaning
we have ‘repeated’ (Steve Neale) conventions of popular
soaps in an attempt to get viewers as we know that the
name is popular.
Court Road
Protagonists & Antagonists
(Names, appeal to the
audience, Gender)
Danny
Chantelle
Darren
Social Issues represented
(Relevance to the Zeitgeist, why
they will be shown)
Pregnancy
Abortion
Religion
Murders
Locations
Pub – drama, alcohol, fight/argument
Woodlands – mystery/crime
Epsom Downs – open/vulnerable
House – place of comfort and well being, basis of
Soap
Mind Map – Pre Production Planning

3. Steve Neale – “Genre’s are instances of repetition and
difference” –
We have chosen to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) the theme of
crime because it is a definite cause of drama as there is
the mystery surrounding who the killer is and why he
had a motive to commit the murder and risk prison.
Channel (BBC Two) and Scheduling (8pm – Weekdays)
The programme is aired at 8pm in weekdays which
means it has to compete with hugely popular
programmes such as East Enders which is aired at 8pm
on BBC 1 on Mondays and Fridays as well as Emmerdale
and Coronation Street which are aired on weekdays on
ITV at 8 pm. Therefore there is high amounts of
competition meaning the trailer must be of high quality
to tempt people to watch it over established shows.
Competition in the Genre?
East Enders
Hollyoaks
Emmerdale
Coronation Street – Was first to fifth in terms of most viewed programme of the week week
ending 25th June 2017.
Target audience (Katz, Maslow,
Hartley) –
The main target audience for the
Soap Opera would be females
between the ages of 15 to 60 who
stereotypically enjoy drama such as
murder and crime and therefore
are able to ‘personally identify’ with
the protagonists and therefore can
build a rapport with the
protagonists and don’t want them
to be murdered. Furthermore, the
target audience for our Soap Opera
will be Maslow’s ‘caregivers’

4. Competition in the Genre?
East Enders – Top 3 most watched programme on BBC 1
Hollyoaks
Emmerdale
Coronation Street
Soaps had the highest percent of audience shares by 2% even more than documentary and
entertainment proving the immense popularity of soaps and indicating that the competition
is fierce and of a high quality as it is repeatedly watched, however if the trailer is of a high
quality, there are a huge number of people who would potentially watch the series.

5. Locations
• In school
• Near school
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/news/press-
office/filming-in-surrey
• Produce a formal letter for the council
requesting permission to film on the
dates provided.
• YOU MUST do this to ensure you have
evidence of planning and “excellent
organisation” (OCR)
• In the letter state that the filming will
take place sometime between
September – November.