St. Paul’s Catholic College

Center Number: 64770

Candidate Number: 6278

Candidate Name: Eleanor Watson

A2 Media Studies

Unit G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media –

Production Log

Evidence of Planning & Research

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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.

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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: 19/11/14 & 26/11/14

Edited Trailer – Complete:

Promotional Poster – Complete:

Promotional Magazine Cover – Complete:

Evaluation – Complete:

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

2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre

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

1. Romance

Soap Operas

Drama

Social issues

Conflict between characters

Strong dominate characters

Working class pub as the local place to meet

Based around one street

Everyone knows each other

Range of ages representing each age

Many story lines that all link together

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2. Family relations and/or conflict

3. Focus on working class

4. Antagonism and conflict within community

5. Social issues

Eastenders (1985 – Present)

Key information regarding this text:

Exhibited on BBC1 and repeated on BBC three One of the UKs highest rated programs Set in the ‘kitchen sink’ setting of fictional Watford, east London

Textual Analysis Task

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWyB6Nqfhv8

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

Age 15 – 45

Gender Female

Nationality English

Trailer 1)

What is the Focus of this trailer?

Code Evidence Impact on the Audience

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&Convention (Verbal, Non-Verbal,

Technical)(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

RomanceRange of romances begin and falling apart

Katz – personal relationship can be made with the characters situations surrounding relationships

Family relationships and/or conflict

All the characters have a conflict with one another in some way

Hartley – many ages that all have different types of conflict which helps everyone to find a character to relate to

Focus on working class communities

Based in a pubVery casual clothingOld fashion razor blade

Katz – viewers can escape in someone else’s drama and lives that are also very similar to theirs

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

Coffin in churchMurderAffairEveryone has a secret

Katz – relate to hiding secrets from people and they are always discovered

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

Funeral and suspected murderScandals and love affairs

Katz- audience can escape into the drama and go through the emotions with the characters

Trailer 2)

What is the Focus of this trailer?One woman is coming back from somewhere else, which looks like it has become deserted since she left. Shown in a Wild West fashion

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

RomanceNot any romance evident in the trailer but there is a chemistry between the two main characters within the trailer which cloud be a

Allows the reader to escape (Katz) into these two characters history

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romantic past

Family relationships and/or conflict

The women and male characters in the center of the square could have had previous conflicts. Also the women and the rest of the town since they are all hiding from her as se walks in to the town

Allows the reader to relate the characters in certain situations with conflict (Katz)

Focus on working class communities

Set in a very run down town with the initial shot of a closed pubThe idea of wanting somewhere to drink after arriving to a town

Relates to a certain audience and focuses on a certain age groups (Hartley)

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

The main women in the trailer coming into the townAll the locals hiding from the womenThe male at the end confronting the women

Gives a variety of different stories and scenarios for the audience to relate to (Katz)

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

Between the two characters at the end of the trailer confronting one another

Allows the views to become lost in the dramas (Katz)

Multi-stranded narrative

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

Telling a story from more than one persons point of view Telling more than ne story about multiple characters in an open narrative episode

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience Multi-stranded

narrativeIan and the womenPhil and ShirleyAlbert bar

Questioning motives and Ian’s affair with mysterious womanPossible love between both characters‘Caregivers’ (maslow)

Family relationships and/or conflict

Phil and ShirleyConflict at bar

What is their relationship and whether there is an underlying love for one anotherQuestions to what and why the characters Sharon

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has been attacked Focus on working

class communitiesSirensYoung pregnancy

Relatable to real events on a day to day basisA common social issue that is always being raised in local communities

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Conflict at bar and Ian’s predicament

The problems that arise from these events shake the balance of peace in the community by affecting individuals

Romance ‘first time you fell in love’

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8_ApPT6isY

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience

Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:

1. Sat in the center of the table, most central character – representing the strong women

2. “Do you wanna eat your breakfast in the yard?!” – very powerful and dominate, taking control of the situation

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3. Strong sense of family conflict at the breakfast table

4. Set in a female orientated home

5. very strong female characters talking over the men

“Multi-Stranded Narrative” Family at breakfastTwo women in the shop saying thankyou

Family relationships and/or conflict

Conflict within familyMother and child

Focus on working class communities

Sticking togetherLanguage “propa knew her”

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)“Keep your mouth shut!” hatred and violence

Romance Between the young couple

Other Themes & Issues represented:

1) What is the purpose of a trailer?

The purpose of a trailer is to promote and advertise the film/program before it is released in cinemas, also to inform the audience and potential viewers. Also is it a marketing product

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

Larger audience to view the promotion

Increase potential viewers

Accessibility

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

3)

Textual Analysis –

Multi stranded narrative character dilemma Katz

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)?

Symbolism of boy verse girlHolly is quite an abrasive plant whereas the oaks is a softer tree which reflects in the personality of each genderPromiscuities and young audiences

WeddingEveryone getting readyYoung and womenSigh putting top on cakeFingers crossed

Sign with the cakeFingers crossedZoom in on good luck

The bride – very happyDaunting fact of everything going wrong

Soundtrack – “nothing could go wrong” “of course I’m wrong”Voiceover – Friday 13th perfect day for a coronation wedding

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

Wedding black – song white weddingBlood tear – pain, wedding is not a good thingShotgun wedding – pregnantBroken frames – spying on the women’s taboo pregnancy

Production Work

1) What is the role of a Producer?

Oversee all aspects of production over; Preproduction, production, postproduction.Manage everyone and ensure everything is in place in order for text to look fit for purpose

2) What is the role of a Director?

Oversee creative aspects of production. Direct people in front and behind the camera

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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.

Launched 20th April 1964

Average time viewing 1 hour 20 minutes

Audience share 8.4%

Programs – match of the day, daily politics, news, tennis

Most popular show – the great British bake off with over 7million views in 2013

At 8:30 Wimbledon is on

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