St. Paul’s Catholic College

Center Number: 64770

Candidate Number: 6485

Candidate Name: Taylor Sabga

A2 Media Studies

Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media –

Production Log

Evidence of Planning & Research

1

Aims and Objectives

AO2 – Assess candidates’ application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating their own work, showing how meanings and responses are created.

AO3 – Assess candidates’ ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills.

AO4 – Assess candidates’ ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research.

Brief Chosen

A 45 second – 1 minute 30 second trailer for a NEW Soap Opera

that will be exhibited on at 8:30pm (after Eastenders) that will appeal to a Male and Female audience.

YOU SHOULD research when Eastenders is scheduled (Day – Time)

2

Contents

Textual Analysis

Eastenders

- Soap Opera Codes & Conventions- Multi Strand Narrative

Coronation Street

“..the home, the family, domestic tribulations and the strong woman, and as such, it has long been said to appeal to the female viewer”

‘Masculinity and Popular television’ – Rebecca Feasey (2007)

- Is this evident and how is this presented to the audience?

Research

Purpose of a Trailer Multi-Platform promotion Textual Analysis – Coronation Street and Hollyoaks

Deadlines – Production Work

Filming Dates:

Edited Trailer – Complete:

Promotional Poster – Complete:

Promotional Magazine Cover – Complete:

Evaluation – Complete:

Production Work

Director – Roles & Responsibilities? Producer – Roles & Responsibilities? Institution research – BBC Two

3

Soap Opera Codes & Conventions – Lesson 2

1) What are some of the Codes & Conventions of this genre?

YOU MUST demonstrate what you already know by completing a “Spider Diagram” of what you know about OR expect from this genre:

2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre

Soap Opera

They are usually aimed and targeted to at middle classed/working class people.

There are cliffhangers; they are used to help engage the audience. It also helps persuade the audience to watch the next episode.

There should be many events and a multi-stranded narrative, the TV program should also relate to the audience which helps engage and entertain audiences.

In this genre it is expected to dramatize everything as it is set in the ‘kitchen sink’ of London. This is to make the events that are happening in the show more interesting.

4

The Soap Opera genre can be categorized by the ‘repeated’ (Steve Neale) elements of:

1. Romance

2. Family Relationships/Conflicts

3. Focus on Working Class People

4. Antagonism and Conflict Within the Community

5. Realism and Ideology

Eastenders (1985 – Present)

Key information regarding this text:

Exhibited on BBC1 and repeated on BBC 3

One of the UKs highest rated programs (averages 6million viewers per episode

Set in the kitchen sink setting of fictional Walford, East London

Textual Analysis Task

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye51O8WBVVM&feature=related -

5

In your opinion, according to Hartley’s Seven Subjectivities, what is the target audience for Eastenders?

Age 18-30 year olds

Gender Females

Nationality English

Trailer 1)

What is the Focus of this trailer?The name of the trailer is called lies,

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

RomanceA romance between Phil and Sherly, Sherly says to Phil “I love you”.

It helps build a personal relationship with the audience, the audience will also have personal identification with the storyline.

Family relationships and/or conflict

When the woman is raided in the bar she is in danger, her family members then rush to the scene to help her.

When the bar is being raided it could affect caregivers, as they will sympathize for the character that is in danger.

Focus on working class communities

There is a focus on the working class community as there is a scene where a women is working in a shop, there is also the scene where Phil and Sherly are speaking in the pub.

Viewers will have a personal identification as they will stereotypically be able to relate to the places that the scene is being held and the situations/problems being raised in the show.

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

There was multiple storylines being shown in the trailer, the main storyline was the bar raid however there was also the Phil and Sherly romance as well as the Ian Beale affair storyline.

A Multi-Stranded narrative will be used to keep audiences engaged and interested with the show, this is because there is more than one storyline going on at once and audiences will want to watch all the storylines.

6

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

Trailer 2)

What is the Focus of this trailer?Trailers name – Whose heart will be broken?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

RomanceRoxy and Alfies wedding.

This can relate to the audience, as they may want the characters to be in a relationship. Also it may appeal to the male audience, as there can be female gaze.

Family relationships and/or conflict

There is a clear conflict between the two women Kat and Roxy. Kat is wearing red, which can signify danger, or she is going to do something to ruin the wedding.

Focus on working class communities

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

The wedding, Alfie has to chose Roxy or Kat. In the trailer there is only two storylines Kats and Alfies wedding

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

7

Multi-stranded narrative

A Multi-stranded narrative can be defined as…..

A multi-stranded narrative can be defined as telling a story from more than one persons perspective/point of view.

Telling multiple stories about multiple characters in an ‘open narrative’ episode for example Eastenders.

YOU MUST deconstruct the 10-minute extract from Eastenders and identify where the following elements are presented to the audience:

Multi-stranded narrative Family relationships and/or conflict Focus on working class communities ‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Romance

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience Multi-stranded

narrative- three different storylines at the start of the clip- in the restaurant where a dodgy deal is taking place- in the bar which is being raided-Phil and Sherly in the pub

This keeps audiences engaged.It can also affect caregivers (Maslow) in scenes where characters are in danger

Family relationships and/or conflict

Family/brother sister/Dad go to help there friend and brother who is in danger at the bar which had been raided

Focus on working class communities

Focus when two characters walk out of a food shop, there is also a scene where Phil and Sherly are speaking to each other in the pub

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Sharon unconscious. Affects ‘Caregivers’ (Maslow)

Romance Phil and Sherly, Phil listening to her problems, a hint of romance.

Keeps audiences intrigued and are interested to see what will happen with their relationship.

8

Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 3Textual Analysis

According to Rebecca Feasey in ‘Masculinity and Popular television’ (2007), the Soap Opera genre tends to focus on:

“The home, the family, domestic tribulations and the strong women, and as such, it has been said to appeal to the female viewer”.

1) – Do you agree?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8_ApPT6isY (First 5 minutes)

Next Page - YOU MUST deconstruct the opening 5 minutes of a sequence from the popular ITV Soap Opera Coronation Street (1960 – Present) to identify examples of where this ideology is presented to the target audience.

YOU SHOULD also try and identify, to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the genre, any Codes & Conventions associated to the Soap Opera genre.

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience

Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:

1. A Woman head of the table

2. The woman wants to ruin the business

3. The woman is very demanding and authorive

4. Mother shouting at her daughter, showing her dominance

9

“Multi-Stranded Narrative” In the shop the woman is asked to go to a funeral, there is also the storyline where the woman wants to take over the sewing factory. There is also the scene where Deidre and her family are at the table.

Family relationships and/or conflict

The family are having money problems.The is a clear conflict between the brother, sister and mother at the table.

Focus on working class communities

Talking in a shop

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)There’s a funeral (Death).

Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 4Textual Analysis

1) What is the purpose of a trailer?

The purpose of a trailer is to promote and advertise the film/TV programme before it is released in cinema or aired on TV.

2) What are the benefits of Multi-Platform promotion of a media text?

Able to gain popularity

To gain popularity

Ultimately, some form of Convergence is important when promoting a text to the target audience.

3)

Textual Analysis –

10

Next Page - YOU MUST make notes on the following areas when deconstructing this sequence from Coronation Street:

Multi-stranded narrative Character dilemmas ‘Personal Identification’ (Katz)

Multi-stranded narrative- There’s a wedding- Man getting dressed and ready for the wedding- Most/all storylines affected by the wedding

Character Dilemmas- Steve (the brother) maybe jealous from the facial expression he uses- Characters are not all happy, someone sighs, another character walks

away and a character has there fingers crossed.

There are a few enigma clues that may suggest that the wedding may be a disaster this can be seen through the facial expressions of some characters. Also the non diegetic voice over at the end of the trailer suggests that it will be a disaster as the tone of the voice uncertain and the use of words “what could possibly go wrong”.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hollyoaks/4od

The above link will take you to some of the latest episodes of Hollyoaks.

1. What are the connotations of the ident for the popular Channel Four Teen Soap Opera Hollyoaks (1995 – Present)?

The show includes teen problems, mainly boy versus girls. There is usually a conflict between the adults and teenagers in the show. There is normally a viewpoint of a teenagers life as the main characters are usually the teenagers. The show appeals to young adults stereotypically aged between 15 - 25 year olds. The show is about a journey of self-discovery and promiscuity.

Next Page - Hollyoaks – “White Wedding Trailer” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu2sW-r9Vb4

2. YOU MUST make notes on the following areas when deconstructing this sequence from Hollyoaks:

11

Binary opposition of the non-diegetic music Symbolism of the non-verbal code of the tear Representation of Pregnancy Any other examples that would impact the audience

- Trailer is extremely dark.

- The trailer name is ‘white wedding’ however the theme of the trailer is very dark and not white at all

- It is a disturbing or unhappy wedding

- The doll falls to the floor – represents pregnancy

- The darkness can show the girl is scared

- The black tear at the end of the trailer can show that the girl does not want to get married

- The music lyrics ‘shotgun’ represents the wedding being rushed

- The man waving with the glove looks villainous and may be foreshadowing something

Production Work

1) What is the role of a Producer?

The overall role of a producer is to oversee ALL aspects of the production across the 3 stages of production. A producer manages everyone and ensures that everyone is in place in order for the text to look fit for purpose.

2) What is the role of a Director?

The role of a producer is to oversee the creative aspects of the production. Also direct people in front of and behind the camera.

3) Institution research –

YOU MUST research the institution that your trailer will be exhibited on.

Tips: Programming, Target audience, Audience figures, History of the channel.

12

BBC Two averages 11million viewers daily

The average viewing time for a viewer was1hr 30mins

In June 2014 the BBCs most viewed TV show was “Spring Watch” which was viewed by 2.2million viewers

BBC Two launched on 20th April 1964

BBC Two airs factual programs and shows that appeal to a wider target audience compared to BBC One

13