St. Paul’s Catholic College

Center Number: 64770

Candidate Number: 5884

Candidate Name: Nathan Cordero

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 BBC 3 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: 22nd/23rd October 2013

Edited Trailer – Complete: 14th February 2014

Promotional Poster – Complete: 14th February 2014

Promotional Magazine Cover – Complete: 14th February 2014

Evaluation – Complete: 14th February 2014

Due Date: 14th February 2013

Production Work

Director Producer Institution research – BBC Three

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Soap Opera Codes & Conventions – Lesson 2

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

Relationships

Family

Conflict

Romance

Tragedy

Community

Multi-stranded Narrative

2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre

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

1. Multi-stranded Narrative

2. Romance

3. Family Relationships/Conflicts

4. Working Class

5. Community

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Eastenders (1985 – Present)

Key information regarding this text:

Exhibited on BBC1 and repeated on BBC3

One of the UK’s highest rated programmes

Set in the “Kitchen Sink” setting of fiction – Walford, East London

Textual Analysis Task

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

You MUST complete the Table below whilst watching the TWO promotional trailers for the BBC Soap Opera Eastenders.

You SHOULD aim to identify key examples (Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical) from each trailer that demonstrates your understanding.

You COULD apply relevant audience theory to explain what impact these key examples would have on the target demographic.

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

Age Young Adults +

Gender Female

Nationality British

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Trailer 1)

What is the Focus of this trailer?Relationships/Romance. Family turmoil.Adultery

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

Romance “I Love you”

“Boyfriend?”

Spite towards Stacey, allows the audience to personally identify (Katz) with either Brandon or Stacey.

Family relationships and/or conflict

“Likes father?”

“Likes son?”

Frown upon the relationships of a broken family, which challenges Hartley’s sense of a happy family unit.

Focus on working class communities

Suits Working class dress code

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

Different character perspectives

Mixed feelings for each character

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

“Does she know…?” Cliffhanger. Wonder. Awe.

Trailer 2)

What is the Focus of this trailer?Judgement. Family image.

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

Romance Stacey appearing seductive

Signify/Represent the temptress of relationship.

Family relationships and/or conflict

Frowning

Gripping tray

Represents a sense of disagreement between the two.

Signifies anger towards Max for adultery.Focus on working class communities

Maid

Security Guard

“Dangerous” class worker, could portray Stacy to be some sort of threat to the equilibrium.

Could signify a blockade that Max has to deal with.

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

Tracking Max’s expressions

Shows the different situations he’s in between the members of his family.

‘Disequilibrium’ “Sooner or later they’re Signifies that he will be caught at some point

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(Todorov) gonna cut you down” and he’ll be punished for his actions.

Multi-stranded narrative

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

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

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

You SHOULD write down x1-2 examples for EACH of the elements above that are presented.

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience Multi-stranded

narrativeMaxKatSharon

Dystopian views on all relationships within the extract.

Family relationships and/or conflict

Kirsty + MaxCustody of Lauren

Sympathy/PityPersonal relationship for those who are in the same situation.

Focus on working class communities

Café workerPub worker

Personal identification with job types.

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) “Jump off the roof” Personal relationship with characters.

Romance Max + TanyaAlice + Michael

Scorn or sympathy depending on the situation.

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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 woman and as such, it has long been said to appeal to the female viewer”

1) – Do you agree?

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

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.

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Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audience

Rebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:

1. Home: Opening scene focuses on houses of the characters, making it clear that the setting of the scenes will most likely be inside or around someone’s home.

2. Family; Parents and Child, in a family activity; the dropping off of the son to school, and giving his lunch when they have forgotten it.

3. Domestic tribulations: Issue of going to work when a loved one is ill, but knowing that a living has to be made.

4. Strong women; Red coat - Resilient and strong/independent, also the mother who gives her so the forgotten lunch is almost seen as the provider or the dominant one, in opposition (Levi Strauss) to the alpha male figure the father is meant to be, considering she is the only one who seems to be remembering the important things.

Multi-stranded narrative

Story of the family.

“Ghost whisperer”

Hartley’s – Families and those who can‘Personally identify’ (Katz) as some family viewers may be able to relate to them.

Family relationships and/or conflict

Conflict between father and family and someone that knows more than the wife that isn’t part of the family.

A lot of problems happen in the soap opera, which can divert the audience’s attention from their real life situations – Diversion.

Focus on working class communities

Shops and accents Utopian, everyone has the same accent which shows a motion of unity and similarity in the society working towards a common goal.

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Girl is asked to spy on someone

A sense of immorality, as its something different from the norm.

Romance Parents of family ‘Personally identify’ with the relationship between father and mother.

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Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 4Textual Analysis

1) What is the purpose of a trailer?

To attract the target audience intended while not giving away too many features of the sequence.

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

Wider application of promotion

Different forms of advertising

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

3)

Textual Analysis –

You MUST make notes on the following areas when deconstructing this sequence from Coronation Street:

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

Views on different characters.Guy looking up then walking away.Marriage – commitmentsCross cutting between characters to show multi-stranded narrative.“Friday 13th, perfect date for a wedding”

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Foreshadows negative events as Friday the 13th is stereotypically an unlucky day.

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)?

Sexual interactions between young members of society as well as indifference between them.

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:

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

“Nice day for a white wedding”Betrayal of familyUnwanted/unwelcome child.Ostricised from family and friends due to the pregnancy.Broken doll – spite for conceiving the child and getting married.

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Production Work

1) What is the role of a Producer?

Oversee ALL aspects of the production across the 3 stages of production: Pre-production, production and post production.

Manage everyone and ensure everything is in place and fit for purpose.

2) What is the role of a Director?

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

3) Institution research –

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

Tips:

Target Audience – 16-34

Audience figures – 1.4%

Launched 9th Feb 2003

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