This document provides an analysis of two trailers for the soap operas Hollyoaks and Emmerdale. For each trailer, the student analyzes the verbal codes (dialogue, lyrics), non-verbal codes (settings, facial expressions), and technical codes (camera shots, lighting). They note how these codes are used to build tension and signify upcoming themes like death, adultery, and villainy. In their evaluation, the student identifies strengths of each trailer they want to replicate in their own soap opera trailer, such as mysterious sound effects, dramatic music and lighting, and the use of broken frames and camera angles to characterize people.

1. OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio
Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Shannon Fisher
Candidate Number: 5915
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770

2. Trailer 1 – Hollyoaks ‘Enjoy the ride’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO3VlauXYLA
Verbal Codes –
A muffled sound effect acts as a enigma clue (Roland Barthes) that something bad is going to happen. Soon after this muffled sound effect the audience hear
what appears to be some sort of ‘storm’ coming near. The non-diegetic song cuts in ‘The Last goodbye’, a quite sad, down and slow song. The lyrics “It’s the
last goodbye” being a key part of the song ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that something really bad is going to happen in the upcoming week. The verbal code of the
lyrics “I can’t rely on a dime-a-day love” connotes that there is possibly an affair going on, as the love is not constant, just a “dime-a-day”.
The connotations of “last” are final, never again, finished and the connotations of “goodbye” are going, farewell. It is therefore fair to assume that this
Hollyoaks promo is presenting the audience with an upcoming dilemma involving death and adultery. The non-diegetic voiceover “Broken hearts, shattered
lives” is the final thing the audience hear in this advert, which confirms the themes and connotations of the song and what it represents as being representable
to the text. Also in the end of the trailer there is a close up of an exit sign, this connotes that someone may be leaving the show, dying probably.
Non-Verbal Codes –
The setting appears to be at a wedding reception venue, as the characters are in suits with flowers and one of the female characters is in a white dress, this is
quite ironic, as white connotes pureness and innocence where as this trailer does not portray her as being these. Also one man is holding up a glass of
Champaign and appears to be making a toast. This appears to look like a normal, happy day, until the ‘bride’ and ‘best man’ take a concerned look at each other
behind the ‘groom’s’ back, which connotes that possibly the groom doesn’t know something that is going on with these two other characters. They then proceed
to hold hands, which confirms the audiences suspicions. Everyone then turns around looking shocked, worried and scared, which is when everyone starts getting
pulled apart by a ‘storm’ like scenario which connotes to the viewer that relationships are going to be broken and fall apart. Right at the end of the trailer once
everyone has been pulled apart the only person left is a female, although she is on the floor and is crying she does conform the the Rebecca Feasey’s (2007)
ideology of the soap genre presenting the audience with a ‘strong, dominant female’ as she is the only one left after the ‘storm’.
Technical Codes –
The technical code of the establishing shot of this advertisement is of the Champaign glass being held up in a toast symbolizes happiness, utopia and
celebration, and the Champaign glass is the only thing in focus at this point, to strengthen the sense and feeling of a happy day. It continues with lots of
medium-close-up shots of all the characters looking happy, which may challenge the audiences expectations, in particular ‘survivors’ (Maslow), of the
genre often presenting moments of crisis and ‘disequilibrium’ (Todorov). However, this appears to change as there is a long point of view shot of all the
key stock characters from the show as everything goes black showing everyone just before everything falls apart. This continues with lots of fast paced
cuts, slow motion effects and medium-close-up broken frames of all the characters falling apart. The broken frames connotes broken relationships, hearts
and happiness, which is something the audience will expect from a typical soap opera.

3. Trailer 2 – Emmerdale ‘Judgment day’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGXX2ubwoIU
Verbal Codes –
There is a non-diegetic song playing from the beginning of the trailer, ‘Wicked Game’ by Jordan Winter. The denotation of the verbal code of the lyrics that
immediately stand out are “what a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way” ,which is played when the main antagonist looks at females on the
screen which could connote that possibly he has had an affair with these two women, or maybe lead them along. These thoughts then further when the
song continues with the lyrics “what wicked things you do to let me dream of you”, which connote that Cain is a ‘villainous’ (Propp) and emphasizes that
this character brings a ‘disequilibrium’ to the scene. As the main antagonist passes characters there has been a non diegetic sound effect that has been
added this could be to recognize his presence and outline the tension between him and all other characters in the scenes. This could possibly be also to
deepen the the certainty that he is the ‘villain’ and does conform to the stereotypical soap villain, by making people cry and showing now physical emotion.
The non diegetic voiceover does not reveal or connote anything to do with the themes of the trailer with it saying: “Emmerdale next week on ITV1 and
ITV1 HD’, however this point of call and institutional information is something the audience, in particular fans of soap operas and scandal, need to know.
Non-Verbal Codes –
The setting is Emmerdale Farm which looks like it is set very late at night due to the lack of natural lighting, adding a mysterious twist to the trailer and
representing possible themes of murder/death. The setting meets the typical conventions of a soap opera with the local pub appearing to be quite central
to the town. All of the characters look either scared, upset or mad with the main antagonist ‘Cain Dingle’. Also as the main antagonist passes these other
characters he shows no emotion on his face, maybe this is to exaggerate his lack of care for these people as he passes one character who is in tears, and
does not bat an eyelash. As one of the women the main antagonist could have possibly had an affair with looks at a family they all give her an upset and
blank look which causes the main antagonist to smirk. This could connote that they are a family and he broke them up through possibly an affair or some
other negative scheme he was involved in. At the end of this trailer the angles turn from following Cain and looking from his point of view to watching him
walk away, which allows another character to come in the frame behind him. This character is shadowed out and wearing a hood, this adds to the suspense
and tension of the trailer long with the dark and lack of lighting. The harsh low-key lighting also gives the trailer a spooky effect.
Technical Codes –
The technical code of the establishing shot of this trailer is from a high angle shot looking down at the main antagonist walking along the street that is
integral to the community, which gives a strong feeling right from the start that possibly this character is bad, and the audience watching him should look
down on him. It then cuts straight to a long shot of the antagonist walking down the street, however the audience have not seen his face as of yet, as it is
from behind. This could connote that he is a sneaky character and is up to no good. It continues with some broken framed shots of this character through a
telephone box, whereby the broken frame could connote a broken man, or act as a ‘disequilibrium’ that something bad is going to happen to this character
in later episodes of the soap, which acts as a great USP for the trailer. The car with the family in goes by quite slowly, and the camera tracks the girls face it
cuts from the daughters face to the mothers face, mum looking scared and sorry and the daughter looking blank then a flash appears on the screen, this
could be to connote that the daughter is gone/going and with the smug facial expression displayed by the main antagonist the viewer gets a strong feeling
that he is definitely a villain.

4. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) and ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie – 1995)
Some areas of strength in this trailer in which I would like to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) and apply them to my own soap opera trailer would be
to apply similar ‘muffled’ sound effects which is displayed at the beginning of the sequence, as it shows that even though you can’t hear
anything that the sequence is still moving forward. It also acts as a strong ‘enigma clue’ that something not right and something bad is
going to happen. I also like how the song was quite fast and pacey, however the producers slowed the soundtrack down on crucial
moments when they wanted to really draw out all the emotion of certain characters. Lastly, in my trailer I really want to ‘exploit’
(Abercrombie – 1995) the lack of dialogue in my trailer and just include a soundtrack/song, and a voice over as I feel this is more effective
then dialogue as it reveals even less of the text and leaves the viewer wanting to find out what is happening in the sequence, resulting in
them watching the new soap .
Trailer 2) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) and ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie – 1995)
Some areas and strengths in this trailer in which I would like to ‘repeat’ and use in my soap opera trailer would be the camera angle
sequence, as my soap opera trailer will be similar to this one in the sense of someone walking towards/through a group of people who no
longer like them. This would be the main thing I would like to carry over to my trailer. However, the other main thing is the song, I really
want to find a song which has substantial meaning and clues to the themes of the trailer. The dramatic lighting again is something which I
would like to ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) in my soap trailer, as it connotes dark and and dangerous themes in the media text, which is something
I feel I will be representing in my soap. Lastly I also like the mass use of broken frames, these give a dark and mysterious perception of the
character on screen, helping the audience to get a feel of these characters instantly and automatically know which characters are
good/bad.