This document provides an analysis of two soap opera trailers: 1) An EastEnders trailer that uses dramatic music and voiceover to build intrigue around the return of the character Sharon amid warnings of an incoming "storm." Various shots and lighting are analyzed. 2) A Hollyoaks trailer showing characters in a forest having fun, though various cues like a character in the rain suggest trouble. Props like masks are discussed. Slow motion is used for irony. The document evaluates the strengths of each, noting effective uses of sound, lighting, shots and cues to imply meaning without dialogue. Specific techniques like meaningful lyrics and character expressions would be repeated for their own trailers.

1. Soap Opera Genre –
Independent Textual
Analysis
Name: Syan Magahy
Candidate Number: 6446
Center Name: St. Paul’s Catholic College
Center Number: 64770
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Trailer 1 – Eastenders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1v_2Xf7Xss
Verbal Codes –
In the first trailer, the use of Non-diegetic sound from the beginning till the end is a soundtrack from the rock genre with a quick, upbeat
tone, which links in with the lyrics “Oh, a storm is threatening My very life today” which is warning the audience what consists of that storm,
as well as providing a potential enigma clue (Roland Barthes) of what stormy character is coming back to the square, which will excite
existing fans of the Soap. Another song lyric which links in with the story of the trailer is the use of the word “war” which is repeated a few
times. This may mean that the audience may need to prepare themselves for anything bad that might happen because Sharon is back.
The diegetic sound effects also links in with the ‘Hurricane Sharon’ trailer as the wind connotes a strong character that is back to Eastenders
which is also shown for the audience to see which throws litter from the floor all around the square. From the Non-Diegetic voiceover
“there’s one heck of a storm coming: Sharon’s back!” connotes that something serious is going to happen in this soap opera due to one
characters arrival. This verbal code also connotes that Sharon is a character that people are afraid of and don’t want to mess around with.
Non-Verbal Codes –
However, this happening in Walford connotes that the character brings trouble and ‘disequilibrium’ (Todorov) as hurricanes bring trouble to
where ever it goes. The low key lighting connotes that Sharon may be a dark character if people do not already know her, therefore
conforming to Rebecca Feasey’s (2007) ideology on the genre providing a ‘strong woman’ for a predominantly female audience to get
excited about as she brings this “storm” of controversy with her.
The non-verbal code of the facial expressions from each character in the trailer all have surprised and shocked faces which may connote that
they don’t want her back to The Square. The costume of Sharon is her in a white wedding dress looking glamorous and is the only character
with a light toning in comparison to all the other characters in the trailer. This may connote that she takes an important role in
Eastenders from when she was in it before. The colour white could also ‘signify’ (De Saussure) in dramatic irony to her representation that
she is shown to be better than everyone else on the square and everyone looks up to her. Props such as the Queen Vic Pub sign swaying
from side to side very quickly connotes that Sharon has come back to hit the whole square and the people in it. Character roles according to
props are specialized in this trailer as Lucy Beale uses her fish and chip shop as protection and shelter when Hurricane Sharon hits The
Square and also Billie hiding I a dark alley. This may show fear from the characters towards Sharon.

3. Technical Codes –
From the amount of shot types there are (21) connotes that there is much to give for the audience to understand what is happening in
the trailer. The first camera angle (Mid Shot) of the sign of the Queen Vic pub swinging in a fast pace connotes that something bad may
happen. For the camera angles for the characters, they are all hiding away from this ‘hurricane Sharon’ that is coming back to the square
such as Lucy Beale running into the shop and slamming the door shut. In this scene of the trailer, a long shot was taken to show the fear
and reaction of the characters. A lot of CGI was used in this trailer, with the trailer showing the actual hurricane coming to hit the square
taking half of the houses with it, to Sharon floating down in her white wedding dress. The eye line match for this trailer is the the
characters are never directly looking at the camera, they are intrigued to find out what is hitting the square. Once they realise it is
Sharon, all their facial expressions are confusion and shock. This may mean that Sharon may be an evil character in this soap opera and
something bad will eventually happen.

4. Trailer 2 – Hollyoaks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxociJjpKKo
Verbal Codes –
For this trailer which is Hollyoaks, it has use of soundtrack, Dialogue – diegetic and non-diegetic? “you should have got a better bed, better for
your bed” - ???? The non-diegetic soundtrack that is used connotes that there may be a relationship interference between different characters in
this soap opera as the language of ‘better bed’ may be seen as sexual tension between the different characters. The use of the verbal code “red”
can also connote that something bad has happened or will happen later on in Hollyoaks as the term/colour red ‘signifies’ negative acts such as
death and pain. The diegetic sound of the rain that only circles around one character may connote she may be a bad character in the soap opera,
as this trailer is not just based on one character, it is based on all so all characters are signified in different ways. For this trailer, there isn’t a non-
diegetic voice over that is used for the trailer. This may be the case to give the trailer more of an effect and just the synchronized sound at the end
of the soundtrack playing when the trailer shows ‘ Weekends at 6:30PM Hollyoaks’
There are few diegetic dialogue in this trailer such as when the two characters are playing on a funfair high striker, hitting a hammer and it reaches
a bell, the sound hammer being hit connotes anger and suspicion of the characters from the audience. The diegetic dialogue for the bell ringing,
may connote any warning for the characters.
Non-Verbal Codes –
The non-verbal codes for this trailer is the use of lighting is high key which connotes that everyone in the trailer are happy as they are in a forest
setting which may seem as they are having fun and is similar to a fairytale setting for the characters. This must mean that the soap opera is a good
and happy one. This isn’t an expected element of ‘repetition’ from other soap opera trailers because there is always something that goes wrong.
However, this may mean that there is some sort of irony involved in this trailer as it may show everything going well and suddenly, something bad
happens. Also, the costume for all characters are all nice clothing with animal masks which may be seen as ‘funny masks’, which can connote that
they are having fun, playing together. However, it may be seen as a bad coming to bad terms. Also, in the trailer, all the characters appear to have
happy facial expressions which means they are all having fun together and that the soap opera is a happy one, however, they may not know.
Props such as masks funfair rides all connote happy and fun activities that usually children play on. As Hollyoaks is targeted to a young audience, it
may relate to them as they may be adults but acting like children when it comes to relationships etc.. The trailer itself is a high key lighting which
contain all pastel colours which also connotes happy emotions.
The props for characters in this trailer are ironic Rebecca Feasey (2007). All character roles are costumed to an ironic theme (fairyland) this
connotes that the characters are acting like children, dressing up in costumes which is unlikely for adults. For there being a Mary Go Round
connotes that they are all friends and having fun together, however, it may not be as it seems. The last prop at the end where there are many
lanterns lit, floating away from the characters may connote that something has happened in Hollyoaks such as someone dying and it may be in
commemoration of that character.

5. Technical Codes –
The use of camera angles is significant because one character is handing a hammer to another which may connote that they are going to
start danger. The amount of shot types were 41, which may ‘signify’ that there is a good story to show for the audience, it will make the
audience want to watch more. There are many shots in the trailer which denote slow motion, which may also connote that it will get the
audience to figure out what is happening.
From the picture below, there is a low angle of when one of the characters are playing on the high striker, it connotes something will
happen. Special effects such as slow motion is used to make the trailer more mysterious and ironic. Usually a Mary Go Round goes
reasonably fast, however, in the trailer, it is going slower than a usual one, this may connote that they may not be having as much fun as
people think. The connotations for the first shot is the back of all the characters that are dressed in the costumes are entering this ‘fairytale
land’. This may connote for the audience that the trailer is going to be about the characters having a good time together which may lead to
the program being positive, or can connote the opposite.

6. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and/or ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie – 1995)
The areas I would ‘repeat’ and ‘exploit’ from this trailer would be the good use of non-diegetic sound (Soundtrack) in the trailer.
This is because it links in well with the story of the trailer and what people are looking forward to when watching the actual soap opera.
I would also like to ‘repeat’ and ‘exploit’ the inclusion of some of the meaningful lyrics that anchor the action on screen, as it suits with the
storyline of the whole trailer itself. Having a good use of meaningful lyrics helps the audience understand what is happening and what they
will expect to see when they watch the program. The last strength I would like to repeat is the low key lighting as it goes well with the
narrative as the trailer was a dark one, as a hurricane creates a dark atmosphere, it links well in that Sharon is bringing darkness back to the
setting.
Trailer 2) – Areas of Strength and what you would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) and/or ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie – 1995)
A strength that I would ‘repeat’ and ‘exploit’ for my own trailer would be the enthusiasm of the characters when they are all together
‘having fun’. This denotes to the audience that they are trying to be happy but the audience can tell that they are in some sort of trouble.
This would be good to use in my own trailer so the audience could think of what is happening. Another strength I would use to repeat the
shot types of the characters facial expressions to get the audience to understand to think about what is happening. The last strength I would
repeat for my own trailer is the slow motion that is used in Hollyoaks, as it is a very ironic trailer, that the characters are playing on funfair
rides, running around and more, it is all in slow motion which may connote to the audience that they are not having so much fun as what