This document discusses some key conventions and characteristics of soap operas. It notes that soap operas typically involve short dialogue to communicate plots, context, character traits and conflict. It also mentions that soap operas revolve around 10-15 characters and feature interconnecting storylines. Finally, it indicates that soap operas are aimed primarily at women and involve themes of family conflict, affairs, secrets, betrayal, and death.

1. don’t need whole scenes
- conventions of a soap
dialogue.
short lines that communicate:
- plots
- context
- character traits
- conflict

2. Genres are not pre-existing
Audiences derive pleasure
– they are created by
from being able to predict
media producers.
what is going to happen
according to generic
conventions.
Genre is a cluster of
conventions that appear
together in one media product
repeatedly.

3. Catharsis – emotional
cleansing: the purging of 1930’s America
negative emotions broadcasted on radio
through watching
conflict. Soap can be created to advertise
therapeutic. soap powder to
women.
generally between
10-15 characters.
soap is a feminine
Storylines
genre – a genre
interconnect and
aimed primarily at
overlap so audiences
women.
stay interested.
because soaps are the traditional lifestyle of the
constantly in the public target audience affects
eye, they become part of soap opera run scheduling – soaps in the UK
the cultural psyche. They continuously, on the are generally on at or just after
become part of who we same channel, in the mealtimes.
are, the characters become same time slot for
“people”. years.

4. secrets and betrayal
coming out
family conflict
melodrama
happiness, but
emotions - sadness,
not for long
depression, love
affairs death
catharsis

5. “Cheesy” –
dramatic, exaggerated.
Reality becomes
unrealistic.
Unattainable lifestyles
Non-diegetic scores in scenes to
create atmosphere and tell
Americans like to use their
audiences how to “read” the
soaps as escapism
scene.