Telenovelas are Spanish soap operas that can have storylines lasting up to a year. They portray relationships in a more moral way than British soaps, showing kissing only in established couples. While sex is too taboo for their Catholic audiences, telenovelas use melodrama and plot twists to entertain. They feature vibrant lighting, two-shots of couples, and close-ups to add drama, along with a classical non-diegetic soundtrack to anchor the Latin American culture.

1. Research Task:
TELENOVELAS
Kate Wigley

2. Definition:
● A ‘Telenovela’ means ‘Television novel’
● Soaps normally spoken in Spanish and aired in Latin American,
although they are similar to British Soaps they have distinctive
differences such as storylines that can last up to a year
● In a scene where a couple are kissing, they normally have a
long-lasting relationship, so it portrays a higher set of morals
than British Soaps. It is only recently that these soaps have
started introducing more taboo subjects.

3. Explicit:
Because the audience of these Telenovelas have a Catholic upbringing,
sex is a very taboo subject, so extreme storylines that are shown in these
Soaps are not supposed to be believable, unlike British Melodramas or
Realism Soaps.
Telenovelas are intended to be seen as a form of entertainment.

4. Fights:
Telenovelas are designed to be very Melodramatic even to the point of
being funny to some audiences. These programmes also use plot twists to
build audiences and tension.

5. Editing Techniques:
The lighting is quite Two shots are often Extreme Close Ups
strong on the actor’s used, especially in are used to add
face to make them scenes with couples drama
appear more vibrant
and ‘plastic’

6. Sound:
The non-diegetic soundtrack on Telenovelas is classical, unlike a soundtrack
that would be found on a US or UK Soap.
The music is constantly anchoring the Spanish / Latin American
Culture

7. Famous Telenovelas: