This document contains an analysis of two soap opera trailers by a student named Ridgeway Mazvimavi. The first trailer for Hollyoaks uses a fast-paced James Brown song and depicts teenagers having fun by throwing paint on each other. The costumes, music, and behaviors are meant to portray the characters as youthful and rebellious. The second trailer for Eastenders takes place in a western-style setting and focuses on the intense relationship between characters Kat and Alfie, shown through their facial expressions and confrontational interactions. The student evaluates the strengths of each trailer, such as the use of costumes, music, and shot types to set the atmosphere and introduce important characters. They

1. OCR Media Studies – A2
Level
Unit G324: Advanced
Portfolio
Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Ridgeway Mazvimavi
Candidate Number: 6811
Center Name: St. Paul‟s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770

2. Trailer 1 – HOLLYOAKS (6TH Formers Promo) http://youtu.be/_pIa0pLM6Dc
Verbal Codes –
The trailer is dominated by a non-diegetic soundtrack - James Brown - 'Super Bad', which is quite unusual for promoting a soap
opera. The verbal code "Watch me!” is denoting the show itself is something worth paying attention to. Then later in the track
the lyric “I got it!” could connote to the audience that the soap opera is marketing itself as offering „what you need‟ to be a good
soap. This conforms to the audience theory Katz‟ Uses and Gratification, specifically „personal relationship‟, because the soap
offers what the audience needs to distract them (diversion) from their lives and immerse themselves in the World of the young
protagonists. The verbal code “I got something that makes me want to shout” „signifies‟ (De Saussure) a form of expressionism
in the lyrics connotes that the students are holding on to something that‟s exciting and want to tell the audience. In accordance
with Maslow‟s hierarchy of needs, „social climbers‟ would be interested when presented with verbal codes like this because it it
something new and exciting. Furthermore the lyric “I'm super bad” connotes that young people are stereotyped as being up to
no good in this teen orientated soap opera and like to create chaos. This is anchored by the non-verbal code of them splashing
paint all over each other, which shockingly anchors this stereotypical teenage behavioral trait. Also the loud, fast paced music
creates an upbeat/rebellious atmosphere in the text which further connotes how the characters feel: They feel excited and are
willing to express themselves, which in turn conveys an adults stereotypical view of wild teenagers.
Non-Verbal Codes –
The setting is an empty parking garage, which denotes a urban, working class community that is expected within the genre. Its
been presented using natural lighting in parts of the text and high key and top lighting in other parts to create a sense of
glamour and excitement amongst the characters presented. Furthermore all the characters are wearing white tees which could
connote unity because they are all matching, as well as purity amongst the characters, however when the characters take their
t-shirts off this could connote they are rebelling. Also the white tees could represent their innocence of being young people,
however, the mismatching shoes connotes they are careless and are not worried about conforming to social attitudes and views.
Furthermore towards the end of the promotional broadcast media text a female character throws pink paint which connotes she
does not want to be pigeonholed, because pink is stereotypically a girls colour. This could also act as a „signifier‟ for the
producers of the text wishing to move away from the genre „appealing to a female audience‟ (Feasey – 2007). In addition,
romance is represented by a male and female character kissing, however, there is another female character staring at the two
together and gives the other female character a look of disapproval, which connotes she's envious/angry of them together.

3. Technical Codes –
The trailer‟s carefree attitudes of the characters and their evolving personalities is represented through the technical code of
fast paced cuts, which are used to support the fast upbeat atmosphere. Furthermore, the 180 degree rule is broken at 0:38 to
indicate something is wrong when the male and female character were kissing. The director also used close ups on the paint
in several of the character‟s hands, connoting they are in control of the situation and also suggests at are relationships going
to be a fundamental narrative ingredient. Furthermore, an eye line match is used between the female character kissing the
male and the female character staring at them, which connotes that she knows that she knows the other girl can see and is
not concerned.

4. Trailer 2 – Eastenders (Kat and Alfie) - http://youtu.be/8p4xlLezos0
Verbal Codes –
In the text there is a female character that is laughing and stops once the main female character looks over at her, which
connotes she's important and not someone to laugh at. Furthermore, there is non-diegetic and incidental, western style
music, connoting something big/bad is going to happen within the series between these 2 dominant characters. Also one of
the characters says through the verbal code of diegetic dialogue “Bloomen heck!” whilst hiding behind shades, which
connotes he's scared/suppressed/shocked. Later in the text the main female character says “Where do you get drink around
here”, connoting she‟s a femme fatale and doesn‟t need a man to take her out. This representation of the female gender is
stereotypical to Rebecca Feasey‟s (2007) views of there being a “strong, dominant female” in the genre.
The main male protagonist responds “I think you‟re gonna‟ need one”, which could connote that he's trying to take control of
the situation to get her to relax, which proves he‟s an alpha-male because everyone else was scared to speak to her. In
addition there is a close up shop where the sign and verbal code “The Queen” is framed above her, which connotes she's
someone important within the text, almost to a Royal standard. At the end of the trailer the narrator says through a nondiegetci voiceover "its all kicking off”, which connotes that these main characters are going to be deeply involved in the soap.
Overall the western theme setting and costumes, of old carriages and worn boots, „signifies‟ the soap as a working-class and
“edgy” community.
Non-Verbal Codes –
The text is set within Albert Square and has for the purpose of the themes and issues on offer adapted a Western setting.
The characters were all wearing boots and cow boy hats in western costumes. This connotes a working class community
setting, as these codes and conventions make it easier for the target audience to relate to. Furthermore, the main male
protagonist (Alfie) is wearing all black which could connote he's going to be a dark, mysterious character and potentially
„villainous‟ (Propp). Another non-verbal code presented in this trailer is the main character's (Kat and Alfie‟s) facial
expressions towards each other, which connote they antagonize each other and are possibly in a strained relationship, which
is further supported by the non-verbal code of their costumes for example there are both wearing black. Which has
connotations of villainous characters .

5. Technical Codes –
Within the text the technical code of a low camera angle is used only on the main male and female characters, which
connotes they are larger than life figures in the community, as well as important characters who possess big personalities and
are not willing to back down from one another. Also the tilt up to both main characters supports this ideology and from the
research conducted into other promotional material in this genre is often a popular way of introducing characters of great
significance. In addition, there is an eye line match between the two characters, creating an intense moment, which could
connote a „disequilibrium‟ (Todorov) between them. In addition the male hiding behind the shades, which is shot through the
technical code of a broken frame, connotes he is in fear of the female character which is the binary opposite (Levi Strauss) of
gender attitudes so common place in society as the audience appear to see a strong female and weak male from an
unconventional point of view.

6. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Verbal Trailer 1)
Areas of Strength that I would „repeat‟ (Steve Neale) in my soap the the shot-reverse-shot. This convention makes it clear the
focus of the situation, which is their strained relationship. Furthermore, I would to to exploit the use of loud, clear non-diegetic
sound effects to make it easy to give a better sense of the environment. Moreover I would also repeat the symbiotic relationship
between the soundtrack and text, because it matches the situation denoted to the audience.
Another area of strength that would strongly be considered is the costumes of all the characters, which helps to create the
atmosphere of innocence and rebellion between the young teenagers. I would also like to use some of the shots which have
been used to display different situations throughout the trailer, for example there is a low angle mid-shot of a male and female
character kissing in the text.
Verbal Trailer 2)
Some of the areas of strength that I would „repeat‟ on reflection is the presence of a multi-stranded narrative throughout the text,
which gives an insight on each character, in turn allowing the audience to „personally identify‟ (Katz) or at the very least relate to
each character. Also the combination of a non-diegetic soundtrack and serious voiceover, because it would denote the dark
narrative being presented, is very effective in allowing this relationship to develop between the audience and characters.
However, using a song with lyrics that relate to text can be more effective in order to create stronger meanings for the audience.
Furthermore using fast paced cuts would intensify the chaos of the „disequilibrium‟ in the trailer; yet another strength I would
repeat. Finally, other conventions I would „exploit‟ and utilize are camera angels and movement such as a pans because it is a
good way to establish a location in a dramatic manner.