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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

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