This document contains a production log and research for a media studies project on creating a trailer for a new soap opera. It includes details on aims, objectives, the chosen brief of a 45 second to 1 minute 30 second trailer, research on soap opera codes and conventions by analyzing Eastenders and Coronation Street, research on the purpose of trailers and multi-platform promotion, production deadlines, and roles. Textual analysis is provided on trailers and episodes to identify codes like romance, family relationships, focus on working class communities, and disequilibrium.

1. St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number:
64770
Candidate Number:
5970
Candidate Name: Harriet O’Toole
A2 Media Studies
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media –
Production Log
Evidence of Planning & Research
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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 BBC 3 at 8:30pm (after Eastenders)
that will appeal to a Male and Female audience.
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3. Contents
Textual Analysis
Eastenders
-
Soap Opera Codes & Conventions
Multi Strand Narrative
Coronation Street
“The home, the family, domestic tribulationsand 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:Wednesday 23rd October 2013 0800 – 1200 hrs
Edited Trailer – Complete: Friday 14th February 2014
Promotional Poster – Complete:Friday 14th February 2014
Promotional Magazine Cover – Complete:Friday 14th February 2014
Evaluation – Complete:Friday 14th February 2014
Production Work
Director
Producer
Institution research – BBC Three
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4. Soap Opera Codes & Conventions – Lesson 2
1) What are some of the Codes & Conventions of this genre?
4

5. 2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre
The Soap Opera genre can be categorized by the ‘repeated’
(Steve Neale) elements of:
1.
Romance
2.
Family relationships/conflict
3.
Focus on working class communities
4.
Antagonism and conflict within the community
5.
Verisimilitude
6.
Cliffhangers
Eastenders (1985 – Present)
Key information regarding this text:
Exhibited on BBC1, repeated on BBC3
One of the UK’s highest rated program’s (8 million weekly)
Set in “kitchen sink” setting of fictional Walford, East London
Textual Analysis Task
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye51O8WBVVM&feature=related -
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6. You MUST complete the Table below whilst watching the TWO promotional
trailers for the BBC Soap Opera Eastenders.
You SHOULD aim to identify key examples (Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)
from each trailer that demonstrates your understanding.
You COULD apply relevant audience theory to explain what impact these key
examples would have on the target demographic.
In your opinion, according to Hartley’s Seven Subjectivities, what is the target
audience for Eastenders?
Age
Gender
Nationality
16 plus, it involves situations associated
with most age ranges from teenage to
elderly.
Male and female – femme fetal and
strong masculine characters appeal to
both.
British audience – set in the East end of
London.
Trailer 1)
What is the Focus of this trailer?
Stacey and Max’s affair, has Tanya found out, Stacey not sure if she wants Max or
Bradley
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
Impact on the Audience
(Verbal, NonVerbal, Technical)
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)
Romance
Max and Stacey
“I love you”
Katz- ‘personal identification’ with
love affair.
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
Tanya, Max, Bradley
“Dirty little secret”
Katz- the audience can build a
‘personal relationship’ with how
Tanya is feeling, especially if they
have had a similar situation.
Focus on working
class communities
Market
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
Stacey and Max
Stacey and Bradley
Katz- ‘Informs and educates’ what it
is like to work on a market and can
find a‘personal identification’ if in a
similar position.
Maslow- ‘Survivors’, want the
characters to keep their stalls and
survive on what they’ve got.
Katz- ‘diversion’ from own problem
can focus on Stacey’s worries.
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
“Dirty little secret”
“Does she know
something”
Maslow- ‘Caregivers’, they can
sympathise with Tanya and Bradley.
Trailer 2)
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7. What is the Focus of this trailer?
Max’s secret is finally catching up to him.
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
Impact on the Audience
(Verbal, NonVerbal, Technical)
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)
Romance
Stacey dressed
provocatively
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
Max and Tanya
Bradley
Jack
Focus on working
class communities
Stacey dressed as a
maid.
Bradley as a security
man.
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
Shows multiple
people:
Max, Stacey, Tanya,
Bradley and Jack.
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
Verbal song:
“Sooner or later
gonna cut ya down.”
Katz- ‘Diversion’ Stacey’s provocative
behavior is distracting from the real
issue at hand.
Hartley- ‘families’ can relate this
situation and how they would feel
there for it also links in with
Maslow’s ‘Caregivers’ as they would
feel sorry for Tanya and Bradley.
Katz- ‘Diversion’ they are playing
different characters compared to
normal which is making it more
fantasized than real life, ‘personal
identification’. People with these jobs
or similar can relate to how people
are viewed stereotypically.
Hartley- ‘Family’, ‘gender’ and ‘age’
are all affected. Bradley and Stacey
are younger than the other three and
are seen as less important roe (maid
and security) Max, Tanya and Jack
are all in suits. Stacey (female) seen
as provocative female. The males are
seen to be stronger and more
important. Tanya is emotional.
Stereotypes are shown here.
Maslow- ‘Survivors’ want Max to
survives but the lyrics connote that
something is definitely going to
happen that will affect Max.
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8. Multi-stranded narrative
-A Multi-stranded narrativecan be defined as:
-Telling a story from more than one person’s point of view.
-Telling multiple stories about multiple characters in an Open Narrative episode for
example.
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
Multi-stranded
narrative
Evidence
Lauren, Michael, Lucy
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
Max and Tanya, argue
“When were you part of
this convocation”
Focus on working
class communities
Café: Lucy
Market: Peter
Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
Max Michael Kat Alice
Relationship troubles, Kat
confronts Michael about
Alice, Max and Kirsty and
Tanya.
Alice is in love with
Michael
Tanya still loves Max
Romance
Impact on the audience
Katz-‘Understanding of
community’ because it is
showing more than one
persons point of view in
the community.
Hartley- relates to ‘family’
due to the two parents
having an argument.
Katz-‘Personal
identification’ the
audience can relate to
family rows.
Katz- ‘Diversion’, it
distracts the audience
from their own troubles
and real life, it also
creates a sense of
personal relationship as
others with similar jobs
find themselves able to
relate to Lucy and Peter.
Maslow- ‘Caregivers’
sympathises with Tanya
because Kirsty ruins their
relationship and Alice’s
naivety.
Maslow- ‘Caregivers’
because Alice has been
manipulated by Michael
and has a false sense that
he likes her back, and the
audience feels for Tanya,
for her heartbreak.
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9. Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 3
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)
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.
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10. Code & Convention
Evidence
Impact on the audience
Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:
1. Female come up with solutions.
2. Family problems: David, Gail, Kylie and the baby.
3. ‘Did I ask for your opinion?” Michelle (strong woman).
4. Men scared of female reaction, so say nothing.
5. Michelle speaks over Steve.
Multi-stranded
narrative
Michelle and Steve
David and Kylie
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
David and Kylie
Gail and Nick
Michelle and Steve
Focus on working
class communities
Pub
Burden
Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
“I don’t like surprises”
Romance
Kylie “How much I
appreciate you”
Hartley- ‘Families’ are
affected by the awkward
family situation shown,
where you feel like you
have to help out your
family.
Katz’- ‘Personal
identification’, people can
relate with the problems
faced here.
Hartley- Whole ‘families’
involved in family secrets.
Katz- ‘Inform and
educate’, shows a working
class environment which
others may not be
accustomed to.
Katz-‘Informs and
educates’ that the
character David, doesn’t
like surprises and we can
clearly see he is talking
about who is the baby’s
father.
Katz-‘Diversion’, audience
is distracted from reality
for a while from the
relationship troubles
between David and Kylie.
10

11. Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 4
Textual Analysis
1) What is the purpose of a trailer?
To promote and advertise the episode before it is shown on TV. To inform.
Marketing.
2) What are the benefits of Multi-Platform promotion of a media text?
Broadcast: shows audiences watching that channel.
E-Media: younger, broader audience, Viral. Cheap and free (YouTube)
Ultimately, some form of Convergence is important when promoting a text to the
target audience.
3) Textual Analysis –
You MUSTmake notes on the following areas when deconstructing this sequence
from Coronation Street:
Multi-stranded narrative
Character dilemmas
‘Personal Identification’ (Katz)
11

12. Steve looks worried
Becky looks happy is have a celebration drink
Non-verbal:“good luck” written in multiple places
Eileen crosses her fingers
Liz and Jason glance at each other
Roy and Haley smile, happy
Multiple characters involved in the wedding
Song: “I feel lucky”
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)?
Male Vs. Female
A clear gender divide
Pink before blue: indicates strong females
Hollyoaks – “White Wedding Trailer”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu2sW-r9Vb4
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13. 2. You MUSTmake notes on the following areas when deconstructing this
sequence from Hollyoaks:
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
Main colour is black
Wedding is bad
Death
Unwanted pregnancy – bump is overly large, indicating it’s a big issue
Judgmental looks
Song:
“It’s a nice day for a white wedding”
“Shotgun” (normally when there is a pregnancy before marriage)
“What have you done”
Black tear rolls down the brides’ cheek – lack of hope, betrayal.
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14. Production Work
1) What is the role of a Producer?
Over see all production aspects across 3 stages
Manage everyone
2) What is the role of a Director?
Over see the creative aspects of the production
Direct people
3) Institution research –
You MUSTresearch the institution that your trailer will be exhibited on.
Launched in February 9th 2003
Replaced BBC Choice
Target audience – 16 to 34 year olds
Focuses on new talent and new technologies
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