The document discusses codes and conventions of soap opera genres. It provides examples of typical codes like racial stereotypes, multi-stranded narratives, and cliffhangers. It also analyzes examples from specific soap operas like EastEnders discussing conventions like focus on working class communities and family relationships/conflicts. The target audience is identified as those age 35 and older, with females being the main viewers. The roles of producers and directors in overseeing different aspects of production are also outlined.

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St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
Candidate Number: 6601
Candidate Name: Nora Bakoa-Kela
A2 Media Studies
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media –
Production Log
Evidence of Planning & Research

2. 2
Soap Opera Codes& Conventions
1) What are some of the Codes & Conventions of this genre?
SOAP OPERA: CODES
& CONVENTIONS
Racial stereotypes
Dystopian atmosphere
Multi-stranded narrative
Mainly targets females
High angle pan of the
place set
Typical story lines:
- Love
- Conflict
- Secrets
(Todorov’s theory)
Disequilibrium
This can include the
theme of:
- Adultery
- Violence
- Murder
- Betrayal
- Crime
- Tragedy
Binary opposition
Urban/suburban areas
Prop (stereotypes)
E.g. villan
Brand identity theme
song
Cliff hangers
Drama

3. 3
2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre
The Soap Opera genre can be categorized by the ‘repeated’
(Steve Neale) elements of:
1. Love/romance
2. Conflicts/ family relationships
3. Secrets/ cliff hangers
4. Disasters/ realism
5. Family feuds
Eastenders (1985 – Present)
Key information regarding this text:
- BBC ONE/CATCHUP 4oD – 20 million viewers tuned into the 30th
anniversary of the show when only 10-15 million watch on average
- WALFORD, EAST LONDON - kitchen sink realism, familiar setting for the
working class
Textual Analysis Task
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye51O8WBVVM&feature=related -

4. 4
In your opinion, according to Hartley’s Seven Subjectivities, what is the target audience for
Eastenders?
Age 35 and above
Gender Females
Nationality British
Trailer 1)
What is the Focus of this trailer?
The week of revelations – Eastenders 2015
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)
Impact on the Audience
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)
Romance
- Jane and Ian as characters working
together
- Jane’s make-up
- Mis-en-scene: indicates her as
temptress
(Katz) personal identification as the
audience can possibly relate to
Jane & Ian’s relationship
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
- Long shot at the end of the trailer
places all characters within family
unit
Appeals to family audience
(Hartley)
(Maslow’s) survivors would want to
know if the characters are ok
Focus on
working class
communities
- Series of jump cuts from different
locations
E.g. chip shop, pub are all working
class areas
(Katz) personal identification as
people recognize those areas as
places they would normally go to
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
- Focuses of different suspects as to
who killed Lucy using a series of
cross-cuts
(Katz) personal relationships where
certain audience members support
and emphasis with different
characters
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
- Hands dragged down the humid
windows to create a scary
atmosphere
(Katz) diversion as the audience
get a sense of escapism from their
own lives

5. 5
Trailer 2)
What is the Focus of this trailer?
Hollyoaks: Autumn 2014
Code
&
Convention
Evidence
(Verbal, Non-Verbal,
Technical)
Impact on the Audience
(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)
Romance
- Ste and John Paul are
a gay couple getting
married as John Paul
is proposing
(Katz) – personal relationships as the audience can
relate due to it being a lot more acceptable in this day
and age
(Maslow) – care givers as they can sympathize with the
characters
Family
relationships
and/or conflict
- Dysfunctional families
conflict between two
families over a rape
case
- Non-stereotypical as
man raped a man
- Secret parents of a
child that may get
taken away after.
(Twin brother and
sister)
(Katz) – personal identity
(Maslow) – care givers
Audience then feel for the family conflicts as well as
some are able to identify
Focus on
working class
communities
- The cuts from all
characters in
surrounding that
working class
meaning they are able
to relate to accents
(Katz) personal identity as we live in a world with lots of
different cultures and skin colors and it was easy for the
audience to relate well
“Multi-Stranded
Narrative”
- Many different
storylines link to a
main storyline
(Katz) personal relationships as the audience can relate
to the realistic storylines
‘Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
- Train crash at the
wedding of a well
known family and a
car is dragged out of
a water
Diversion (Katz)
Personal identity (Katz)
The audience is taken away and are also able to in some
way relate to the events.
Multi-stranded narrative
A Multi-stranded narrative can be defined as…..
- Telling many (multiple) stories about many characters in an open narrative ep
- There being several narratives running at the same time, which is very common in television
such as Holby City and The Bill
- Telling a story from another person’s point of view

6. 6
Eastenders - 11th
June 2015
Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience
 Multi-stranded
narrative
- Shirley and Buster
making sure Dean is
safe after the recent
events
(Katz) personal relationships
allows audience to relate to
the couple
 Family relationships
and/or conflict
- The stereotypical
Indian family
(Katz) personal identification
as those who are of that
ethnicity can relate to the
stereotypical things that they
do
(Katz) informing the audience
about different cultures and
how they live compared to
others
 Focus on working
class communities
- Market stalls
- Focus on health care
in the UK as the
surgery is closing
down
Katz) personal identity as we live
in a world with lots of different
cultures and skin colors and it
was easy for the audience to
relate well
 Disequilibrium’
(Todorov)
- Roxy is struggling to
open a tub of curry
Makes the audience think
further into why she dropped
the tub as she storms away in
frustration, to show that
something other than the tub
of curry was bothering her
which led to her dropping it
 Romance - Shirley and Dean
working together to
help dean, shows the
chemistry between
them as they are
doing it together
(Katz) personal identification
as many couples who may be
watching he show can look at
there relationship and
compare it to how they are,
and show the similarities and
differences between them
Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 3
Textual Analysis
According to Rebecca Feaseyin ‘Masculinity and Popular television’ (2007), the Soap
Opera genre tends to focus on:
- Masculinity and popular television – Rebecca Feasey (2007)
- “The home, the family, domestic tribulations and strong women and as such, it has long
been said to appeal to the female viewers

7. 7
- Women ordering the men around rather than the other way around
- Men emasculated by the way he drinks his drink
- Women are talking for their husbands
Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience
Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:
1. Home: the family have been affected by the loss in the household
2. Family: multi-stranded narrative focused on the loss of family. Family unity when Jason
showed support to his mother and her friend
3. Domestic tribulations: Carla + Leanne arguing in the street shows domestic Simon running
away from Leanne in the beginning
4. Strong violence:Specifically catered female doctor. Carla ordered dink for Ro

8. 8
Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 4
Textual Analysis
1) What is the purpose of a trailer?
- The purpose of a trailer is to promote and advertise it before the soap opera is released
and aired, therefore it informs the audience and draw in potential viewers.
2) What are the benefits of Multi-Platform promotion of a media text?
- Allows you to encourage creative branding solutions
- Integrated content across various platforms
Production Work
1) What is the role of a Producer?
- The role of a producer is to oversea all the aspects of production and work across the 3
stages.
1. Pre-production
2. Production
3. Post-production
Manages everything and makes sure everything is in place and order for the text to fit
the purpose
2) What is the role of a Director?
- The role of a director is to oversea all the creative aspects of the production and direct
anyone who is in front and behind the camera.
3) Institution research –
- BBC TWO is owned and ran by the BBC which is a PSB which stands for public service
broadcasting
- BBC is funded by public money collected by the TV license and money is given to the
BBC to provide broadcasting for the public benefit
- It was launched to deliver content that isn’t so mainstream, high brows shows and
ambitious programming.