• Different stories following different families in one particular place.

• Set in a particular place.

• Shown on TV.

• It consists of everyday situations and relationships.

• Romance and secrets are normally the main storylines.

• Creates realism.

• No relation to the outside world.

• Focus on working-class communities.

•

Setting –They are normally set in a working class area like a small village. The houses are average and there is

always a local shop, pub and doctors surgery.

Costumes -The costumes and clothes that the characters wear depend on what character they are playing. For example,

if the character was like Theresa out of Hollyoaks, then they would wear really girly clothes and are blonde

and a bit ditzy. Whereas if I was Bianca from Eastenders, then your clothes would just be anything from the

market that you could get your hands on.

Lighting -The lighting in soaps are normally just like they are in a normal

day in everyday life as soaps do try to follow real time so the lighting

will just be like everyday weather, either raining or sunny etc.

Facial Expressions and Body Language –Everything in soaps are normally very dramatic and really over the top which means that their facial

expressions are going to be over the top.

Positioning of Characters/Objects -The positions of the character will make the audience drawn to one specific person. In soaps, the person who

most important storyline at that moment is about will be in a position that makes you drawn to watch them

because that will make you feel the tension and how dramatic it is.

Dot Branning (Eastenders) – Very religious Christian.

Shop keeper – average female, late 30’s/40’s, have nothing better to do than run a shop, nosy.

Pub Owners – Upper class, show offs, one male and one female (normally husband and wife),

loud, confident.

Post man – Old, male, lower class.

Evil, manipulative villain – Male, old, always after a woman and they will do anything to get

them.

Rebellious Teenagers – Both male and female, get up to stuff in the location, sometimes they

have children.

Male/Female who has a different choice of sexuality – Normal, average class, nice personality,

get heart broken by their partner.

The list above of the different characters in soap operas are all stock characters. They might not

always fit the stereotypes though, for example, the shop keeper could be male and older than

their 30’s/40’s.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS-s_tf7i4k

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6M7JTw_BY

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XQ0IF9RVzY