The document analyzes and compares two soap opera trailers: an EastEnders trailer focusing on Peggy Mitchell's departure and a Coronation Street trailer highlighting an upcoming dramatic week. The EastEnders trailer uses a non-diegetic song and Peggy Mitchell's facial expressions to hint at future events, while providing little dialogue. The Coronation Street trailer incorporates significant diegetic dialogue to give more insight into unfolding events, including a potential murder, though it risks revealing too much. Overall, the Coronation Street trailer is deemed more effective at attracting new viewers through its use of sound and portrayal of multiple storylines.

1. Soap Opera Genre
Independent Textual Analysis
Name: Maryasiye Kircin
Candidate Number: 1158
Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic School
Center Number: 64135
OCR Media Studies – A2 Level
Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

2. Verbal Codes; In this soap opera trailer, there is no diegetic dialogue present, only the non-diegetic sound
of the song “The Last Goodbye” by The Kills being played throughout the whole of the trailer. There is a
major significance in the lyrics in which the producers chose to cut into the trailer by just having their first
and last verse present. The first verse states; “It's the last goodbye I swear, I can't rely on a dime a' day
love, That don't go anywhere”. The last verse states “It's the last goodbye I swear, I can't survive, On a
half hearted love, That will never be whole”. When analysing this, the repetition in the trailer of the “last
goodbye” and “I swear” connotes the acknowledgement of Peggy Mitchell leaving, permanently. The high
rate of times she has said goodbye to others in Eastenders has come to an end as she will be one that is
going too. The references to love (“I can’t rely on a dime a’ day love” and “I can’t survive, on a half
hearted love”) may infer the attachment that she had with the area (Walford) and the various kinds of
relationships she has created during her role in Eastenders, it can also relate to the love others had
towards her. These ideas from the song, hint to the viewer that Peggy’s death will have a large impact on
the location, and onb other characters in Eastenders.
While the song is played Peggy Mitchell is seen to be pulling different facial expressions to different
people she knew on the square, insinuating to the viewers that time must move on and a new series of
events are to come, the guider and controller of Walford will be gone, and maybe this could connote an
idea of future chaos to come.
During the trailer, no voiceover was present over the non-diegetic song, however, each time a ‘villain’ was
present (e.g. when the boy was walking with his mother), a “thud” sound effect was present to connote
danger, or fear.
Trailer 1; Eastenders - ‘Peggy Mitchell's last goodbye’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVkCtQb7XSI

3. Non-Verbal Codes –
The non-verbal code of the setting of this particular soap opera trailer is present in the middle of
Albert Square, Walford, it is the centre and area where all the important events in EastEnders take
place. At some parts Peggy Mitchell is the only one on deep focus and you can see in the trailer
other images of bodies walking past in fast speed to indicate how time is going on and how the
dramatic events in EastEnders will still occur even though Peggy Mitchell will be gone. Peggy
Mitchell is seen to have complete white clothing, highlighting that she could be the only pure one
now as she will be she could be sent to heaven, while possible series of events occur after she has
passed. Also, in relation to the other characters, Peggy Mitchell’s range of facial expressions
changing throughout the trailer ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) her feelings and perhaps the feelings that
the audience will experience in upcoming episodes towards the specific characters. For people
that have never watched EastEnders before, they could infer that the married couple look happy
and indicate themes of love and romance, the boy with the hockey stick possibly represents
murder and violence whereas the two men seem to express gangster like figures in the area and
as Peggy Mitchell is smiling towards her sons, this could represent her happiness towards a
possible return for one of the brothers. The lighting throughout the trailer does not change but it
could be argued that the clothing and props stand out more, for example Peggy Mitchell is in
white and the boy holding the hockey stick may be dangerous and one to look out for in upcoming
series.

4. Technical Codes
The technical code of the close ups portraying Peggy Mitchells facial expressions give guidance to the
audience which characters are most significant, the boy with the hockey stick is seen as almost
inhumane by Peggy Mitchell, which means, he may cause inhumane actions like murder.
In relation to camera movement the constant animation of people quickly moving throughout majority
of the trailer highlights how time goes on and new events occur, and as they are only in shallow focus
and Peggy Mitchell along with the others are only noticeable, this highlights to the audience these are
the main events to look out for.
The transition during the last couple of seconds highlights Peggy Mitchell’s “last goodbye” she stands
and looks into the camera which causes an affect of the viewer she is looking at them, then the taxi goes
past and she disappears, text then appears stating “Every End is a New Beginning”, connotations of this
transition highlight that a significant character in EastEnders has now gone, however, from the text “new
beginning” highlights a new series of events, disasters and themes that will be evoked in upcoming
series, engrossing audiences.

6. Verbal Codes This trailer is full of significant diegetic sounds of dialogue. Towards the beginning the
bride states “lets get this show on the road”, “show” immediately indicates something dramatic to occur,
everyone around the bride looks happy and they are all cheering for her, however, it is evident the
“show” isn't going to be positive. Furthermore, there is a transition of the groom reading to his other
family members stating “the more I find out about you the more there is to love”, this quote is significant
as we later learn that there is something that she is hiding from him (I need to speak to you), this quote is
anchored with a thud sound effect to highlight danger to occur. Another example of this is when “today is
a proud confirmation of the love, the respect, and the trust they have for each other”, themes of love,
relationship and romance can be connoted from this, however, the repetition of the thudded sound
effect insinuates the reversal of this, connoting lies and deceit. The sound of the thud is also anchored
with another diegetic sound of dialogue stating “I don’t see how things could possibly get any worse for
this family”, this foreshadows chaos to the audience, attracting them to watch future episodes. After the
woman quotes this, the audience are opened to a man possibly searching for a body in the darkness, his
gag is exaggerated to make it clear to the audience that the theme of murder is present, especially when
he states in panic “we need to get out now – they’re going to find Callum's body” this is anchored with
the ambience sound of police sirens furthermore portraying death and instability.
Throughout the trailer, after each event occurred, non diegetic sound of “thud” noises were present to
connote to the audience how danger and negativity will be present throughout the trailer. A voiceover
was present towards the ending stating “an unmissable week on Coronation Street” connoting to the
audience in a clearer format the significance of this week in Coronation Street.
Trailer 2; Coronation Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqFZ3Z4vrKg

7. Dark setting anchored with
dark lighting connoting the
pure evil the man had for
committing murder, the
facial expression also
highlights the disgust of
discovery – Close up;
exaggerates the disgust.
High-key lighting anchored with
happy facial expressions to connote
happiness and joy in relation to the
theme of marriage. The mid-shot
aims to express the cheer and joy as
a community.
The mid shot anchored with
the low-key lighting, only the
dress looks bright and pure,
connoting the bride is hiding
something and isn’t happy
about the marriage, her facial
expression is also negative.
The bride is in pure darkness and is seen
to be crying because of her faults,
whereas the groom seems to look
negative by possible rejection or deceit
from the bride, as an audience we can
tell he is innocent as the setting is in a
light colour. The close up’s of these allow
the audience to focus on the deceit.
Non Verbal
Codes and
Technical
Codes

8. Non Verbal Codes
and Technical Codes
Continued
The OSS shot of the potential
murderer talking to the two females
about the police finding “Callum’s
body” is anchored with low-key
lighting to prove the essence of
fear, secrecy and death. The OSS
shot highlights their panic and rush
to hide their deceitful actions, and
the panic and fear in the women’s
face portray ideas of selfishness.

10. Evaluation of Textual Analysis –
Compare and Contrast
Trailer 1 Eastenders – Strengths and weaknesses.
Ideas that I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) would be the idea of the having one figure (Peggy
Mitchell) enhancing her opinions on future actions that will happen by using facial
expressions. It created a dramatic impact as it didn’t just appeal to EastEnders viewers, it
gave an indication of what exciting ideas are to come. Furthermore I would also ‘repeat’
(Steve Neale) the use of having perhaps text at the end, “Every End is a New Beginning”
grasps viewers to see what Is upcoming. The one thing I would ‘exploit’ (Abercrombie -
1995) would be having no diegetic sound of dialogue, I believe characters ideas of having a
say is more engrossing.
Trailer 2 Coronation Street – Strengths and weaknesses.
In relation to the Coronation Street trailer, I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale) the use of diegetic
sound of dialogue because it gave more of an insight to viewers what events have
occurred/will occur, also, audiences can make various personal interpretations and see their
character and personality develop in a short time. I also would repeat the range of camera
angles and movement as it make the trailer seem more busy. The only thing I would ‘exploit’
(Abercrombie - 1995) would be the risk of giving too much away, I believed some characters
gave away too much of what is happening, but the cliffhanger in relation to Callum’s body
was effective.

11. Personally, I believed that the Coronation Street trailer was
more effective than the Eastenders one, my reasons for this is
because, in the Eastenders trailer it only appealed moreover
to audiences that knew/knew of Peggy Mitchell – a very
significant character in Eastenders for 22 years. If someone did
not know who Peggy Mitchell was, I believed that this soap
opera trailer would not attract new audiences, however I did
believe that the idea of “The last Goodbye” song made an
impact on her role causing emotion to regular viewers, and
the idea of Peggy Mitchell changing her facial expressions to
different events that were hinted in the trailer would have
attracted new audiences, but it was too vague. Overall
Coronation Street was better as it used diegetic sound rather
than non diegetic sound and had a mixture of different events
happening so it was more easier for me (and potentially
others) to understand what was happening, or to be more
intrigued by the storyline.
Conclusion