Name: Jack O’BrienCandidate number: 4669Aquinas College: 33435

OCR G324Advanced Production

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

Generic Conventions

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Camera shots:•Close ups •Establish•Two shot•Medium close ups

Use of colours when reflecting the mood

Parallel narratives with the use of multiple story lines at the same time in order to link to each other and also maintain the audience to keep them hooked.

Lighting reflecting the mood

Representation of region for the soap.EG. Eastenders set in London

Little make-up is used on characters to create realism of a normal everyday person.

Mise en scene: Costumes used to identify the moods of characters. Location and background reflect the type of characters and who they mirror and relate to.

Extreme close up of main characters or storyline top get the facial expressions of emotion.

Soaps are usually ran all year round (continuous storyline) -never ending.

Conflict- between characters and shown through body and facial expressions

Importance of realism - throughout the storylines of soaps/trailers which reflect real people such as; relationships and cheating. Which enable the audience to relate to them.

Soap Conventions

Using forms of conventions

The use of the symbolic sex signs help to highlight that this soap is aimed at both sexes. This idea is reinforced by the use of colour as they stereotypically relate to each gender, but the bold underline and its transition of colour helps to link and connect them both together and suggests that the series concerns the lives and conflicts of ‘everyday’ men and women. The idea that the characters are ordinary people is emphasised by the choice of font as it is open and easily relatable, but its simplicity also helps to attract the desired younger audience as Hollyoaks is mainly aimed at mid teens to twenties.

The spoof of the classic catchphrase ‘Made in Britain’ helps to establish the idea that this series involves the esteemed and wealthy, yet provides a relatable, well-known name that helps to attract a wider audience. This is further reiterated by the image of the crown as although based upon riches, it is a desirable image and along with the simplistic font encourages people to watch the programme. The background setting can be described as posh and elegant and although could be deemed old fashioned, the use of attractive males and females draped across the furniture helps to promote the series to the young and impressionable target market of mid teens to twenties as it seems more appealing.

Using forms of conventions

For the title of our soap ‘THE EDGE’- we decided to take the idea of using the place in which it is based within the title as we were located in ‘Alderly Edge’. We took this idea from TOWIE.

Alderly Edge is the rich, higher class place for the north. Where as the likes of ‘Made in Chelsea’ and ‘TOWIE’ are based upon the Southern part of the country

Therefore, to show realism in our soap we chose a middle class restaurant which has a strong image of wealth, class and modernisation. This location enhances the initially portrayed image of our characters and their wealth, as it is set in another area labelled as ‘posh’ – Bramhall. Furthermore, the props within the restaurant such as wine glasses, champagne holders helps to enhance these ideals. This is because they give a sense of luxury and sophistication and show that these people can afford expensive products and in large amounts. In addition, the representation of olive oils helps to enhance this as people who are of lower class in demographic terms would have bread with butter but the wealthier option in an expensive Italian restaurant would be to use the olive oil and balsamic vinegar which is viewed as a more exotic and classier option. Once again this helps to give realism to the story and further helps the audience understand the background story and lives of our characters. This helps them to relate to our soap which uses similar conventions to TOWIE and Made in Chelsea.

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Location is another important part of any soap as it helps to portray the necessary messages and ideals. Therefore, I would be going against my soap conventions as Alderly Edge is renowned for its upper-class status of wealth and possessions, if I used a location as above. This is a fried breakfast cafe called the ‘Greasy Spoon’ and this image does not reflect or enhance the soap conventions that I would want to show. This is due to the cafe reflecting an image of working class, middle aged men which contradicts the images of well-off, attractive characters. They also have the usual red sauce, vinegar and salt which is simple and ‘English’ and viewed as lower class. This contrasts the oils and vinaigrettes that would be associated with the middle/upper class lifestyles and experiences they have in food places. The use of this type of location would take away the realism and understanding of trailer.

Use of Location and Props in the Restaurant

Location 2, The Bedroom

Use of hair straightners to indicate the audience that it is a girls bedroom.Close up of Blackberry of alarm going off. Blackberry shows wealth which is one of my conventions for the trailer.

Camera shot is taken to the side of the bed to give the audience a feel they are looking into the window at her. (makes them feel as if they are their)

Green colour background portrays that of a neutral mood. This means that there is no tension within the scene.

We included several story lines in our trailer.

This doesn’t just make our trailer meet conventions but makes it interesting and unknowable meaning you won’t know what happens next.

Storylines

Storylines

I decided to add a mysterious feel to it and add a murder. This is just like the usual storylines in which many generic soaps use. With a long storyline to find out the murderer.

We decided to introduce a troubled relationship. This was decided after our research and found that they relate to a normal life in which people can relate to but also help people to conquer their problems

Mine

Other Soaps