Soap Opera Genre –

Ancillary Product Analysis

Name: Esme Quantrill Candidate Number: 6094Center Name: St. Andrew’s Catholic SchoolCenter Number: 64135

OCR Media Studies – A2 Level

Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio

Cover line -The cover line links to a different story and soap

than the main image this is indicated through the

different colour text and a yellow boarder separating

the images.The verbal code “Evil Plan!” connotes that Karl is up to something and that there

may be catastrophic consequences.

MastheadThe colour red is conventionally used on magazines as it stands out and is easily visible. The masthead is big and stands out this is so that the magazine is easily recognizable and people will continue to buy it. The verbal code “What’s on TV” connotes that the magazine knows everything on TV at the moment.

Main HeadlineThe non-verbal code of the colour yellow has connotations of hope and may have been used to represent Lola’s hope and desperation to get her daughter back. Also the colour is bright and bold against the colour’s behind it and helps it to stand out and therefore make a pass along audience want to read it and become interested in the story.

Main ImageThe technical code of the mid-shot is the conventional shot used for the main image of a soap magazine. The main image shows binary oppositions in the characters emotions: baby Lexi’s facial expression and Lola’s is happy which gives connotations that she is better off with Lola. Where as Phil's facial expression is more ‘villainous’ giving connotations that he is not going to let Lola and Lexi be together.

PuffA puff gives additional information and are used to attract the audience attention. They give ‘sneak peaks’ into story lines and normally appeal to the working class as stereotypically that class like gossip and sneak peaks.

DateThe date is important for people who watch soaps and buy the magazine weekly so that they know they are buying the right one. This links to Maslow's theory of ‘survivors’ as they like routine.

Soap Opera indent - Emmerdale and Coronation Street’s logos are shown to indicate the different soap operas in the magazine.

Analysis- ‘What’s on TV’ Magazine • I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) the use of a bold, brightly coloured

masthead to stand out and allow the magazine to be easily visible and recognisable.

• I would also ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) the main image shot type of a mid-shot as it is a conventional shot for a soap/TV magazine. It stands out and the characters are easily recognisable so people who watch soap operas would want to buy it. Also I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) the way that the non-verbal code of the main image overlaps a little bit of the mast head as it looks professional and that ‘what's on TV’ are a well known brand.

• The use of borders, shapes and lines to illustrate the different story lines/TV programmes is good as it makes the magazine interesting to look at and clearly indicates the different TV programmes and connotes that the magazine is not all just about one of the soaps.

StraplineThis has the rule of three within it. This is to connote the repeating stories that are within soap operas it uses the repetition of ‘every’ and this gives the connotations that it has everything that you could want in the magazine . It could also be used as a buzz word. The reader could see the words from the strapline and then think of the magazine.

DateSoap opera fans want to know about up coming story’s and want ‘inside

info’ . Therefore the date is important as weekly

readers want to be up to date with information.

PriceThe price of this magazine is quite expensive for a weekly magazine when soaps are aimed at the working class. The price gives an idea that the readership profile will be someone from middle class rather than working class. it is working class who watch soap operas so the Socio-Economic Needs would be people classed in C2,D and E

Barcode This is a typical convention of a magazine. Usually found at the bottom on the front cover.

Secondary story Image over laps the main image as it is part of the same story line Language : ‘Plus!’ makes the audience feel they are getting more information that they otherwise would .

Mast head The masthead is large and stands out making it easily visible if it were in a shop on a shelf. The bright colour red is used which is conventionally used on magazines due to its high visibility of this colour. The verbal code ‘inside soap’ ‘signifies’ (De Saussure) that the magazine is only about soaps.

Main headlineThe main headline is white and usually has good connotations such as purity. However, this is juxtaposed to the verbal code ‘Doomed’, which gives bad connotations.

Inside soap

• I would ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale – 1980) the use of a strapline as it is easily recognisable and gives the magazine a stylish house style.

• I would also ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) having a barcode, price and the date as it makes the magazine look more professional and are also key conventions that magazines should have.

• I would also ‘repeat’ (Steve Neale - 1980) the change in colour for cover lines and the boarders and shapes used to indicate the different story lines and soaps as it gives a professional and aesthetically pleasing look to the magazine.