Analysis of Coronation Street Trailer and evaluation of trailers

In the clip we see cut clips of different scenes of intense action. The cut between them creates more of an impact on the audience, as we are bombarded with different storylines, characters and locations. Having so much going on at the same time keeps the audience in suspense making them want to watch more, and so persuading them to watch the actual episode itself .
The clip creates loads of unfinished storylines, this shows the soaps concurrent running storylines, creating a wider target audience for the clip/soap.

Written by Natalie Nicolaides

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How analysing trailers has helped us progress...

Analysing trailers has definitely helped us and guided us into making decisions about our trailer. Some of us have compared previous trailers to more modern ones and others have focused on one trailer. It was noticed that we usually see trailers for soaps when there will be a huge life changing event on that soap. for example, the Neighbours trailer was advertising the death of a loved character and the Emmerdale trailer was advertising the return of a character. Trailers are modern and according to their time period. This is done through the technology used, the music and the storylines advertised.

Written by Natalie Michael

Analysis of Home and Away Trailer

Analysis of trailers:


Home And Away


Trailer from 1991:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DJbfUUADxQ

• The colour and quality is very different to the 2008 trailer as expected
• There is a narrator over the trailer
• No music
• Camera work is very basic
• Storyline seems plain
• No real drama with tension is shown
• Lies and secrets seems main issue
• based around the village area
  

Trailer from 2008:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX5hyur0rjc

• No speech
  
• Tension music throughout whole trailer
• Music creates an atmosphere for the audience as well as emphasising the acting
  
• Camera works are alot more advanced, under water shots
• Death, lies, injuries, weapons
• No love, happiness etc
• cliff hangers
• based around the sea

From this we can see how through technology, the trailers have changed, this can also have influence on the story lines and how different plots have become more popular amongst soaps and dramas overtime, with what is more accepted and common in society today.

Evaluation

From this we can see how through technology, the trailers have changed, this can also have influence on the story lines and how different plots have become more popular amongst soaps and dramas overtime, with what is more accepted and common in society today.

Written by Elena Christodoulou

Analysis of an Emmerdale Trailer

This particular advert of Emmerdale is based around the return of an old character (Charity) returning back to the soap. Through out the advert there are constant references to her previous behaviour in the soap. we get the impression this was mainly negative and outrageous.

Through out the whole advert there is a constant sense of the unknown (where did she go? why is she returning? whats going to happen next?).The dark misty atmosphere adds to the tension of this. Its set with a 1930s theme, shes almost playing the role of a glamours woman whos leading a double life, who possibly left the soap on a bad note. We see that it is late at night, she gets out of bed (leaving her partner who is asleep in the bed)to go to the next room. As she does so removes a wig that she was wearing this could suggest a change in character. From the mise-en-scene we see that it is a grand mansion with ornate classic decor hinting at her (maybe new found) wealth. Once she is in the grand bathroom she undresses, she is almost flirting with the camera, as if she knows people are watching her. Whilst doing so she kisses the mirror, this adds to the narrative enigmas in the advert, keeping the audience in suspense. This also my suggest that she is leaving the kiss as a goodbye to the man we saw earlier. However it could also suggest that she is turning over a new leaf, saying goodbye to her old character. From the advert we get the impression that her charcter uses her sexuality to get what she wants.

By Natalie Nicolaides

Analysis of Hollyoaks Trailer

Soaps like Hollyoaks don’t usually broadcast trailers unless a huge, life changing event happens.

The trailers I have picked are all based on the same storyline. It involves the McQueen family; the girl’s long lost brother, Niall, and Myra, their mother, are all featured in the adverts saying the same lines whilst each one features a different McQueen sister. Niall is trying to make his mother choose between him and one of the sisters, but the use of different trailers doesn’t give away which sister he has kidnapped. The trailer is called “Niall’s revenge”. The 6th trailer only features Niall and his lines, then Myra saying her bit then a narrator saying “its decision time for Myra”.Myra hasn’t told the girls that Niall is their long lost brother, as she gave him away as a child. In each trailer, the girls are trying to talk to their mother whilst trapped or held hostage, trying to convince her to pick them over crazed brother, Niall. In the background of the trailers, it appears to be a living room but it is wrecked with pictures out of place, symbolising a broken home and a destroyed family, and that Myra’s decision is vital and can make or break the family.

Trailers:

1. Tina McQueen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMgyuCHOjeQ&feature=channel

2. Carmel McQueen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17qQjGOfGk4&feature=channel

3. Michaela McQueen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91OFJ5dETbY&feature=related

4. Jaqui McQueen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1eNjVrB7wI&feature=related

5. Mercedes McQueen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgqHU73L1Vk&feature=fvw

6. Niall's Individual Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK1iSoYmLJ4&feature=related

Analysis of Neighbours Trailers & what we hope to gain from analyzing trailers

Analysing Trailers - What? Why?
As a group we have decided to analyse trailers from our allocated soaps (Natalie M=Neighbours, Natalie N=Emmerdale and Coronation Street, Elena=Home and Away and Thegla=Hollyoaks). These soaps are from both the UK and abroad. We are hoping this will benefit us when we go on to deciding how we want our trailer to be. We hope to use these trailers as inspiration and as a guide as to how to make our trailer successful.

By Natalie Michael
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I decided to compare a recent trailer to an old trailer as the comparison would allow me to see how trailers have developed over time or whether there are aspects of them that have remained the same. Through comparing the trailers, I would also be able to see what the necessary conventions of trailers are.

New trailer (2009): http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/a176195/trailer-death-of-a-neighbour.html#article_continue

• Song played throughout – ‘Beloved’ by Wendy Matthews.This is a slow sad song which links to the trailer as the viewer guesses there will be a death of one of the characters, someone who was loved by all.
• The trailer begins with people hugging. It looks like they are saying goodbye to each other or using each other for support. The characters are crying and generally seem sad.
• The trailer then cuts to a rescue scene with police and ambulance. The audience know something bad has happened.
• Words appear on screen. For example; “the show we grew up with...will lose someone we love.”The words fade onto the screen with an image of a character looking sad. The words then fade out.Various letters remain on screen to form a new set of words.
• The trailer gives possibilities of 4 characters who could be the ones leaving. ‘Libby’, ‘Bridget’, ‘Toadie’ or ‘Paul’.
• “A moment you’ll never forget” appears on screen.Cuts to a character at a graveyard laying flowers. Powerful moment.
• Blank screen showing channel (5), time (5:30pm), sponsors (Ladbrokesbingo.com) and the website written in white – this stands out. This is a good way of advertising the soap.

Old Trailer: http://www.perfectblend-media.co.uk/troyuploads/1986-2.wmv

• 7pm tomorrow written on screen
• ‘Tomorrow on neighbours’ narrated
• Scene from show
• Narration – “but he’s fighting losing battle on both sides of the fence”
• Scene linking to narration – man looking through a hole in the fence at his neighbour.
• Words ‘7pm tomorrow’ remain on the bottom of the screen throughout the trailer.
• Monkey peering through curtain and window ends the trailer. The way the monkey looks through the curtain is how people look through their windows at their neighbours,
• Theme tune of neighbours played quietly in background throughout.
• ‘Neighbours 7’o clock tomorrow on 10” is narrated at the end of trailer.
  

Comparing trailers:

• Definite differences, 2009 trailer much more modern. Trailers are according to their time periods.
• Both trailers have non-diegetic music. 2009 trailer has a song matching the mood of the trailer, old trailer neighbours soundtrack.
• Old trailer – block letters on screen throughout. Very basic.
• 2009 trailer – words fade in and out
• 2009 trailer advertises the show more. It shows the channel, the sponsors and the time it is played.

By doing this, I have realised that trailers need to advertise when the show will be aired, at the end. I believe that the 2009 trailer did this in a better way. However, this may be because it is more modern and this is what we are used to when watching trailers. Trailers need to have scenes from the show and a soundtrack that fits in to the mood of the trailer. However, if the trailer is advertising a new soap, then I think the soundtrack for the opening credits will be more successful to use as it will allow the viewers to hear it and they will eventually begin to recognise it when hearing the trailer and then when hearing the show itself.

Written by Natalie Michael

Analysis of an Episode of Emmerdale and Evaluation of Analysis of episodes

My group felt that the research we group did into the soap opera field was very effective as we were able to clearly understand how the producers of the soaps used conventional elements in order to attract their specific traget audience and keep them watching through a constant sense of realism. This is an effective technique which we incorporated into our own product as it allows the audience to feel part of the soap and make connections between most of the characters.
-Some of the conventions that we included in our product which we used, challenged and developed in our product were: narrative enigmas, cliffhangers, different character types, and relationship problems.

When analysing Emmerdale I noticed a number of codes and conventions that the producers used to create a realistic effect on the audience, these were:

- "the school run" families taking their children to school, we also see residents leaving their houses rushing to get to work (daily commuters)a realistic morning scene, this can be easily related to therefore attracting a wider target audience.

-We see business men in suits, suggesting wealth/upper class this is a contrast to the school children we see going to public school, representing the working class. We see all groups in society race, age, gender and the main one being communicated social class.

-We get a sense of community, appealing to a family audience

-We hear diagetic music (both characters and audience can hear) PussyCat Dolls 'Hush Hush' is playing in the background the audience get the impression the song lyrics are filling in the gaps of what is not being said between the characters. This creates tension in the atmosphere keeping the audience on the edge of their seat wanting to watch more. This also hints at future storylines to come.

- Outside lighting is bright, could represent that things are going well (pathetic fallacy)

-We see the upper class represented through mise-en-scene of ornate furniture, big house, modern/classic decor. However the darkness of the house could suggest tension/trouble in the family.

-We are shown different relationships both good and bad. This is very effective and realistic as we are not false shown that all relationships are perfect.

-Binary composition, the contrast between higher and lower class characters at work. We are then shown(in contrast to previous family) a typical working-class work place at a mechanics. Again we hear the effective use of music, as we can hear Lilly Allen '22' in the background, this effective use of music could be reflecting the characters situation.

- However we also see a negative stereotype as we are shown the majority of the residents who are working-class all working in a factory, which takes away from the realism of the soap.

-Because the soap is set in the countryside we are shown a variation of different green landscapes, this creates a nature theme emphasizing a cosy family atmosphere as opposed to the busy city roads. There is also regional accents used to create a realistic location and culture within the soap.

Evaluation:

Overall from my research of soap episodes i have come to understand that the producers key target in creating an effective episode stems from their representation of creating a sense of realism through out the soap. From my research into the soap episodes i have clearly understood that producers create a sense of realism through a number of techniques codes and conventions, for example they include

• Daily routines that are uncounted in every day life, such as 'the school run'


• realistic representation of the different classes within society (e.g. high/low classes, ethnicity, race, age..)


• mise-en-scene ( lighting, sound, decor..)


• Binary composition of characters


• negative and positive stereotypes


• landscapes

Written by Natalie Nicolaides

Analysis of an Episode of Home and Away

Unlike the majority of soaps aired on television in Britain the beginning of Home And Away shows what has happened on previous episodes to keep audiences updated and also introducing new viewers.

Audience:
I'm not a regular viewer of Home and Away, but the first viewing gave me the impression it was aimed at teenagers, the first scene was a drunken teenage party. However the more i watched into it, i felt it opened to a more mature audience also, with worrying parents and family problems etc.
Its based around a small community, with locals meeting points being a school and a cafe. There are the common problems that arise in groups of friends, like gossip and rumours.

Representation:
Older characters are at home, worrying about the younger characters out partying.
The younger characters who are at a party drinking alcohol, dancing and acting disorderly, stereotypes as a typical teenager.
Man is in the kitchen washing the plates, the woman sits down, goes against traditional sexist stereotype of women.

Narrative, storylines:
The storylines are realistic, troubled teenagers turning to alcohol, accidents and family feuds. There was interlocking storylines and also big storylines that viewers of a similar age can relate to taking advice, like underage sex. relationships. hospital check ups etc.

Evaluation
This soap like many other soaps contains cliff hangers, over dramatization, love relationships, family breakdowns etc...
The difference between this soap and a UK soap is the flash back reminders of whats happened in previous episodes, UK soaps such as Eastenders and Hollyoaks tend to steer clear of these.

Written by Elana Christodoulou

Analysis of an Episode of Hollyoaks

LIFESTYLES
The generations lead different lifestyles; for example Anita lives differently to her sister Leyla or their mother. Students and teachers also have different lifestyles. Different classed/statuses characters live differently as well, for example Darren lives different to a student like Elliot. These different lifestyles can also occur within a family; Ash lives a high, rich life whist his sisters live a simple student life.

RELATIONSHIPS
Relationships vary from family, sexual and loving. Family relationships are usually united and strong, but in such soaps the drama can tear a family apart. In the episode I watched, Ash was disowned by his family because he had told his sister she was adopted and had put his brother in a coma and lied about it. Another relationship seen in this episode was lust, between Cheryl and Calvin. She fancies him and when she has nowhere to go she stays at his house Calvin’s dad takes a shine to her.

PLOT
The plot of this episode mainly circulates around Ash being disowned by the family, and trying to get his sister Anita on his side, after telling her she was adopted. This branches into another family situation because of his previous relationship with Hannah, who was once diagnosed with anorexia. After an argument with Ash, Anita tells Gilly, one of Hannah’s friends, that Ash had hidden food in Hannah’s room to make it look like she was having eating problems and depend on him. Gilly told Hannah’s family what had happened and her mother went and apologised to her daughter for not believing her when she denied it, this resulted in them having a heart to heart and growing closer as a family. Ash realises that he has nothing left to stay for and after wrecking his restaurant, leaves the village for good.

Hollyoaks differs from other soaps by the way it shows special effects. Most soaps, like Eastenders, don’t use special effects, whilst Hollyoaks uses non-diegetic music, and imaginative beginnings that uses a short scene, which fits with the contents of the episode but is irrelevant to the story; for example, in one episode there was a large chess board and on one team was Darren and Hannah and on the other team was Tony and Cindy, this represented they games they were playing against each other and who had been caught up in the “game” but was not actually part of the characters lives.

Written by Thegla Savvides

Analysis of an Episode of Neighbours & What We Hope to gain from analyzing episodes

Analysing Opening Title Sequences - What? Why?

One of the main stages of production in my groups research and planning stages is the insight into current soap operas and their use of conventions in order to create a realistic viewing experience for the audience. From the viewing of current soap operas we hope to gain the correct knowledge and understanding of how to create an effective soap and also the efficient techniques to make our product either conventional or unconventional. The analysis of different types of soaps (e.g. Australian, English.. ) will broaden our knowledge and also allow us to understand how each is different through their use of convention elements.

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The episode I watched involved a main character who was loved by all pass away. She was wife to Declan and mother to India. Bridget is around 17 years old.


Plot:
The episode I analysed was all focused upon the one dilemma (Bridget’s death). She had been in a car accident. Whilst she is having an operation, she has a dream where she is in the park with Declan (her husband) and India (their daughter). They are having a fun time together as a family. She later has another dream after waking up from the operation. In this dream, she is all alone in the park looking for Declan. She comes across a grandfather clock. The hands on it spin to and chime on 12:00. Bridget then wakes up and asks for the time. After this dream, the audience keep seeing the clock and what time it is, the audience are fully aware that Bridget is preparing for her death to be at 12. At 5 to 12, Bridget has another dream where she and Declan tell each other they love one another and they wave goodbye. Bridget walks away from Declan who is holding India and she ‘walks into the light’ just after she blows a kiss to Declan and India. The dreams are all ‘fazey’ and ‘glowy’. It gives the impression of being heavenly, which fits into the story of Bridget dying. During the time between the dreams, Bridget’s friends pull together to support her and Donna says a prayer for Bridget. At 12:00 Bridget dies and when the family get told, they break down into tears.

Lifestyle:
It was hard to analyse the lifestyle of the characters in this episode as it was only set in the hospital over the one storyline. However, from what I saw, the teenagers live life together, supporting each other and generally being there for one another. Bridget’s family spent the whole time either by her side or worrying about her. This shows that family is a big thing in their lives.

Relationships:
In the episode I watched, the relationships explored included:

• Parent/child: Steve and Miranda’s daughter Bridget is in hospital due to a car accident they were involved in. Bridget’s dad begins to blame himself for the extent of Bridget’s injuries and after walking off, he talks to Toadie about the moment they first met Bridget to adopt her. He says “big blue eyes, curly brown locks of hair...fell in love with her then and there”. This shows that Bridget means a lot to them and that they love her as if she was their own. Another parent and child relationship is between Bridget and Declan towards their daughter India. At the start of the episode, whilst Bridget is having her operation, she has a dream where her, Declan and India are in the park together. They are having a fun. Later on in the episode, Bridget and Declan are talking and Bridget makes Declan promise to look after India if anything happens to her “love her; give her the best life you can”. This shows that Bridget is making sure her family is safe and remains together when she goes. At 11:55, Bridget tells Declan about the first of the dreams she had when they were in the park. She says they were celebrating India’s first birthday. Together they set a picturesque image of that day “the sky will be the bluest it has ever been. There’ll be birds, a warm breeze, sunshine”.
• Husband and wife: Declan worries about Bridget the whole time she is in the hospital. This shows that they are in love with each other. Bridget and Declan support each other and Bridget makes Declan promise to look after India when she dies. This shows that she trusts him, as husband and wife should.
• Friendships: Bridget and Declan’s friends stay at the hospital to support them. The friends also support each other. Donna says a prayer for Bridget “...asking you to help our friend Bridget, we need her and so does India...totally pull out all the stops to make her better...
• Godparents: Bridget and Declan chose Donna and Ringo to be India’s godparents. She does this at 11.25. Bridget knows she will be dying soon and is making sure her family will be ok and that her daughter’s life will be the best it can.

This episode differs from the most common episodes of neighbours and other soaps because it focused over the one storyline and had the dream scenes which are not common in soaps.

Written By Natalie Michael

Analysis of Coronation Street Opening Title Sequence & Evaluation of Analysis of Opening Title Sequences

-We are first shown an overview of a little town, we see cars and a milkman driving down the roads, this automatically suggests that this is a family soap. The camera shifts slowly over the houses of "the street" this could hinting at the gossip in the storyline and the residents knowing of each others business, suggesting that nothing is kept private in the community. This shot then fades into a shot of the local bridge, this establishes what type of location its as we look out for props/mise-en-scene in the shot (for example graffiti,litter,benches,trees..etc). In the background of the shot we also see school children playing this suggests community/family/friends appealing to the different age groups in society.

The next shot is of a towering shot over the back-to-back gardens of the residents houses, this could be symbolic of the relationships and closeness of the residents.

We then see a birdseye view of actual Coronation Street in the shot we also see the typical English chimney tops always associated with the soap, this could be to familiarise the viewers of the soap, creating a realistic comfortable atmosphere for the audience. This shot then fades to the famous shot of the 'Rovers Return pun' on the street(also used as the central meeting point in the soap), this shot shows us an insight into the type of characters in the soap.

A cornet, brass band, clarinet and double bass band all create the opening theme tune of the soap, the jazzy piece creates a peaceful calming atmosphere which is sometimes contrasted in the soaps action packed scenes.

By Natalie Nicolaides

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How analysing Opening Title Sequences has helped us progress...

I feel that it has definitly benefited us, we have looked at how the music differs between soaps, with 'Hollyoaks' using an upbeat tune, aiming it more at a teenage audience, and something like 'Coronation Street' keeping it very original and basic, aiming more for a mature audience but at the same time leaving it broad. We also saw how as technology has progressed through the years like in 'Home and Away' i found that they had a new opening sequence every few years, and each time it getting better and more advanced.

We can see that it is important to find a very catchy tune, something people will want to here and automatically recognise it as our soap. We need to make sure it appeals to our target audience as well as opening doors for different audiences aswell.

Written by Elena Christodoulou

Analysis of Home And Away Opening Title Sequence

• Orange/red bright colours- based around the sun, sand and sea.


• Pictures kept basic, trees, sea, boats, pier, houses could represent in some ways relaxing and easy going.


• However, the pictures are puzzled, cut out in separate squares moving around, this could show how the perfect images and scenery, are not so perfect in reality.


• They are also fast moving, could show how long the timeline of the show is, or how fast time flies.


• Trails to the right, its as if we are driving through their lives up to the end where it all breaks apart and zooms in.


• In one of the separated boxes there was a close up of a net, this could represent the feeling of being trapped.


• There was also an image of a tree, which then was cut up and separated into separate boxes, this could show family breakdown and losses.


• The last image, is a picturesque, empty beach at sundown, could how loneliness, empty feeling etc.


• It then all breaks apart and zooms in, shows we are moving into these characters lives.


• Boat sailing away, could be communicating trying to escape, break free
  
  

Music

• Lyrics are catchy, contain soap title, there is a regular beat- both a man and a woman's voice- complications? love? relationships?

Colours

• Red-deep, love, blood


• Orange-sun, happiness bright


• yellow-summer,peaceful innocence

I also found the opening sequence from 1991 and 1995, i decided to compare them to the new opening because i feel this will help see how technology has developed overtime, and how some aspects have remained intact i.e. the theme song.

1991 Opening sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJOJekRZ_-c&NR=1

1995 Opening sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN8M0rjrNu4&feature=related

In the 1991 Sequence

• In the 1991 Sequence has a black washout around all the clips-could represent dark background/secrets
• It looks as if a black screen has been rubbed away to reveal pictures of the characters lives.
• Again a happy portrayal of life, families and friend.
• People all having fun, smiling and socialising
• At the end the black around the screen zooms out to show the 'n'- all the black borders could have been a close up of the letters of "Home and Away".

In the 1995 Sequence

• There is a sun and a sea image at the bottom of the screen throughout, giving off the idea of it being based somewhere hot and at the sea.
• Again happy images
• Family and friends happily together
• As the song plays along, the picture of the sun and sea at the bottom of the screen becomes a bigger wave, could represent difficulties and drama.
• At the end someone dives in the bigger image of the sun in the sea, then "home and away" zooms out.
• There is the same stereotype of women relaxing by the beach, kids playing beach games and the men on boats

In Both Sequences

• The soaps theme tune has stayed the same throughout all the new openings.
• They both portray snippets of a happy lifestyle.
• laughing, smiling, playing around
• Friends and families all getting on together
• Sun, sea and sand
• Doesn't show any problems
• The characters stage names are written with the characters real names.
• All happy pictures
• There are stereotypes of women relaxing by the beach, kids playing beach games and the men on boats.
• No images of sadness and i couldn't pick up much from either that could portray any kind of sadness

Evaluation

Majority of the soaps we have analysed, have shown me a similarity commonly used, they tend to base there opening sequences on the setting of their soap, or like Hollyoaks include all the characters.
Taking both the old sequences and new sequences into account i will definitely refer back to these to see what influence and ideas i can retract from them.

Written by Elena Christodoulou

Analysis of Emmerdale Opening Title Sequence

Analysis of Emmerdale Opening Title Sequence



For research on Soap operas each member of my group analysed the title sequences of different soap operas. For example, Elena Christodoulou analysed Home&Away a small community soap, Natalie Michael analysed Neighbours a Australian soap, Thegla Savvides analysed Hollyoaks a teenaged based soap, and i analysed Emmerdale a mature audience soap.

Analysis on Emmerdale: What is being communicated?

In the opening title sequence of Emmerdale we are show broad Yorkshire landscape. We see small country towns which automatically make us think that the soap is for a older audience rather than a teenage audience.The birdseye view of the town and the scenes of people driving and ploughing fields hints at the knowing of peoples business, suggesting gossip in the storyline. As the camera quickly flies over the scenery we get the impression that the soap is fast moving , maybe in introducing new characters or storylines, this could be to keep the audience wanting to watch more.The camera angles used are also very effective as throughout the sequence the camera is always facing down towering over the town, as if to create a dominant role for the audience suggesting that we know more than what is being communicated.Also from the wide open landscapes we get the feeling of being lost or deserted which could be explored further in the storylines.The music is non diegetic only the audience can hear it. The full string orchestra and piano create the right calm tranquil atmosphere for the soap.


group effort by Natalie Nicolaides

Analysis of Hollyoaks Opening Title Sequence

The opening credits to Hollyoaks shows each character one after the other and allows them to act out an action that represents them. For example Ravi is hitting a punching bag in his clip which shows his sporty, athletic personality and “skin”, meaning how people see him.
The background is mainly plain or with spiral lights or wallpaper. The plain backgrounds represent a blank canvas which allows the character to let their personality paint the background. The spiral lights show how their lives are spiralling out of their own control and how they are involved in many different storylines. The wallpaper background, however, could represent a fake front put on by the person, either to hide or to cover up some sort of fault in their own personality.
The opening begins with a woman’s eye with “Hollyoaks” written in it, this could show how the audience gets to view the whole of Hollyoaks village. At the end, the “o’s” in Hollyoaks have male and female sex symbols which join together and zoom forward to the screen to allow the episode to start.

Written by Thegla

Analysis of Neighbours' Opening Title Sequence & What We Hope To gain From Analysing Opening Title Sequences

Analysing Opening Title Sequences - What? Why?

As a group we have decided to analyse opening title sequences from a few popular soaps, both UK and abroad. We feel this will benefit us when deciding on our own opening sequence. We hope to take ideas both positive and negative and apply them to ours to make it the best it can be. Things like music type, colours, pictures and even the length of it.

By Elena Christodoulou

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• Theme song with ‘neighbours’ in lyrics“that’s when good neighbours become good friends”shows that it is a tight community where everyone gets along and supports each other. They are all friends.


• Audience watch and remember previous episodes and possibly what happened to specific characters as they see their pictures.


• Theme song is well known which allows people to recognise it.


• Bright colours are used and characters in images have smiles on their faces and they are having a good time. Shows that life on Ramsey Street is fun.


• Images are in a photo booth. Could show that life is picture perfect. But is this reality?

Written By Natalie Michael

Analysis of questionnaire

Questionnaire
1) What is your gender?
Male female

2) What age group are you in?
10-14 15-19 20-24 25+

3) Do you watch soap operas? If so, which ones?

4) How often do you watch soap operas?

5) Where do you watch these soaps?
TV Internet
6) When do you watch these soaps?
During the week omnibus on the Internet
7) What do you think makes a good soap opera?

8) What type of characters appeal to you?

This is an example of the questionnaire we sent out to a randomly selected group of people. The results showed that:
· Mostly females of all ages tend to watch soap operas.
· The most soap was Eastenders which was viewed on TV during the week.
· Most people wanted to see good storylines and appealing characters they could relate to.

We are going to use these findings to make sure we include what audiences want from soap operas in order to make to our work as successful as it can be.

Group effort. Written by Natalie Michael and Thegla Savvides

Minutes For First Group Meeting

Discussing general ideas, pitch and treatment

Tuesday 15th September

Start Time: 11:37am

People Present:

Elena Christodoulou, Thegla Savvides, Natalie Michael, Natalie Nicolaides

• As a group we decided to involve our soap around a teenage lifestyle, involving school, relationships and typical teenage problems.

• We discussed various locations and central meeting points like school, home and cafes.

• Characters we decided are based around a stereotypical teenager. leaving the audience the ability to relate to them.

• Heirachy:

-Popularity Vs Geeks

-Rich Vs Poor

• Popularity/Rich/Education
• Relationships/Jealousy/Revenge

• We also discussed targets for the week and allocated each other different assignments in complete. e.g research (questionnaires, TV soap analysis, trailer analysis evaluation of questionnaire etc.)

Finish Time: 12:26pm

Group effort: by Elena Christodoulou