The document evaluates the media product "The MAD House" soap opera trailer and its use of conventions and challenges to conventions of real soap opera trailers and media. It discusses how the trailer follows conventions like using multiple narrative threads, graphics, logos, music and voice over. It also challenges some conventions by using longer continuous shots instead of quick cuts to draw audiences in emotionally. The document also evaluates the trailer's magazine and billboard ancillary products and how they effectively synergize with the main trailer product through shared visual elements, storyline and branding to promote across platforms.

1. The MAD House – Evaluation
Brittany Graham

2. In what ways does your media
product use, develop or
challenge forms and
conventions of real media
products?

3. The purpose of a soap trailer is to entice the audience and
introduce exciting new storylines.
Most soap trailers follow the same basic conventions with
several strands of narrative, music and often a voice over.
There is almost always a website or a channel logo on the
screen to plug the channel or to gain interest on the internet.
Producers also want new audience, so challenge conventions
to make trailers more interesting.
Trailers also change accordingly to target their wanted
audience.

4. Conventions we followed
Several narrative threads. Soaps, in their nature
follow different people and intertwine different
stories often with a one setting to tie them all
together.
We have 5 narrative threads, all connected by
the fact that they are in the same school setting.

6. Graphics and Logos
Soap trailers often use graphics
because it draws attention to individual
characters and keeps the trailer at a
good pace. Often soaps with a less
serious story line use these.

7. Logos
Channel logos are often used
and present during the trailer
because trailers are shown
not only on the channel they
will be shown on but also on
social media sites such as,
YouTube and Facebook, the
logo makes sure the viewer
knows what channel the
programme will be on.

8. Music and Voice over
Music is used to keep the pace of a trailer.
In this Eastenders trailer, they are
trying to create a mystery and
therefore have slow eerie music.
Whereas in this trailer,
they are using the music to
tell the story.
We tried to use the music to time with the graphics to give it an
Punchy effect and we also used the song, ‘radioactive’ because its lyrics imply dangers and
Explosions.

9. Conventions we Challenged
Most trailers consist of lots of short shots and
quick cuts. We choose to use more long
continuous shots for several reasons. In a
practical sense it was easier to do this because it
meant we could only have to use one location.
As well as this we wanted the audience to feel
like they were part of the action and therefore
become emotionally involved with the
characters and therefore continue watching the
soap.

10. Hashtag
Hashtags are used in attempt to gather more
interest and promote the trailer towards new
viewers in hopes that they will watch the trailer and
then watch the programme.
Most trailers we looked at had the website at the
end however very few had a hashtag. We felt that
we would be able to reach our target audience (15-
23) more successfully if it was present on social
media rather than having to log on to a website.

11. Ancillaries
We wanted our magazine to be instantly
recognisable as a soap magazine, to make the
buyer feel comfortable in knowing that they
know what they are buying is risk free and will
deliver what they expect. We used bright
colours to make it stand out on a shelf, as well as
lots of articles featuring lots of pictures from
different soaps meaning that anyone will find a
programme they like and want to watch more
of.

13. Billboard
Soap billboard's vary dramatically depending on
what soap and what storyline they are trying to
portray. We used the conventions from a
‘whodunit?’ Eastenders story line because we
wanted ours to show the mystery of our main
character and intrigue the audience. However
we did follow the convention of showing the
channel logo and also used the hashtag
previously used to gain more attention.

15. Conclusion
Overall we wanted our media product to be
recognisable as a soap and fit into the genre
well, this will also keep current soap fans
because they know it is a concept they like and
are comfortable with. On the other hand we
think that we do successfully challenge some of
the conventions that would attract not only our
target audince but also people new to soaps.

16. How effective is the combination
of your main product and
ancillaries

17. Synergy across 3 products
It is import that all of the products are apart of
the same brand so the viewers will recognise the
brand, leading them to buy products, log onto
the website and follow the programme on social
media.

18. The mise-en-scene of both our trailer and our
billboard are both set in the same school for
continuity and we have also used the main
character because she is the most recognisable
for the audience. We have also used the same red
for our title and ink/blood spots on our two
products because red is a semantic code for
danger (shown in the blood), mystery (who is
she? What did she do?) this is a hermeneutic
code and its also a symbol for lust which is
shown in the staff room scene.

19. Our magazine front cover is not
obviously synergetic because we
wanted to keep with conventions
of a magazine front cover.
However we still used the red
writing for continuity. We also
used the same title (She’s Back!)
on the front of the magazine and
the billboard so we would have
clear story line, and The Mad
House is in bold font so the
name of the programme is clear,
we wanted to ensure this
because it is also our hashtag.
But mainly we wanted our
magazine to be bright and stand
out on the shelf.

20. Conclusion
Overall we are happy with how our products
look together. They all follow the conventions of
their individual styles yet they all synergise to
create a recognisable ‘brand’. This would create
more ‘buzz’ not only people talking but also on
social media.