Christian Bonning - 5872 - Production Log

St. Paul’s Catholic College

Center Number: 64770

Candidate Number: 5872

Candidate Name: Christian Bonning

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

Production Work

Director Producer Institution research – BBC Three

Soap Opera Codes & Conventions – Lesson 2

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

2) Codes & Conventions of the Soap Opera Genre

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

1. Romance

2. Family Relationships/ Conflict

3. Focus On Working Class Communities

4. Antagonism and Conflict within the Community

5. Verisimilitude

Eastenders (1985 – Present)

Key information regarding this text:

Exhibited on BBC1 and Repeated on BBC Three

One of the UK’s highest rated programmes (Averages 8 million viewers a week)

Set in the “Kitchen Sink” Setting of fictional 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.

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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 15-50

Gender Female

Nationality British

Trailer 1)

What is the Focus of this trailer?BETRAYAL AND ADULTERY

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

Romance Verbal “Love you”, “Yeah, Me too”

Personal Identification (Katz) - As Stacey and max display their love to the audience through both verbal and non-verbal codes the audience find they can personally identify with them.

Family relationships and/or conflict

Verbal “Does she know something?”

Personal Relationship (Katz) – The further connotations of this are that there is tension building that could result in a conflict in the future. This can lead to a relationship being built as the audience attach themselves to the character for the future events.

Focus on working class communities

Non-Verbal – Characters wearing predominantly dark colours, reflecting working class living.

The clothing is a reflection on how their life is quite gritty and shrouded in dark pasts. This also shows their way of life, and they would be described as ‘lower class/ dangerous class’ (Marx).This provides the audience with an insight into traits that could be expected from characters.

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

Technical - Close Ups, Mid Shot and close up.

Creates the idea of a multi stranded narrative and that all these events are occurring simultaneously, helping to make the audience feel integrated into the community

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

Verbal “I know your dirty little secret”

Shows the audience that something will arise or a problem is going to happen. Encouraging the audience to stay tuned and find out what happens.

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Trailer 2)

What is the Focus of this trailer?JUDGEMENT

Code&

Convention

Evidence

(Verbal, Non-Verbal, Technical)

Impact on the Audience

(Katz, Maslow, Hartley)

Romance Non-Verbal – The costumes worn by Bradley and Stacey symbolise there positions in the love triangle with max, Bradley is guarding Stacey but Stacey is provocative.

Helps to keep the audience feeling like a part of the situation, almost as caught up in the love triangle as Max, Stacey, and Bradley. This is good as it helps to keep the audience enticed and eager to find out how this will develop.

Family relationships and/or conflict

Technical - Close Up - Midshot

Generates the feeling that the audience is involved in this sequence of Family ties and conflict.

Focus on working class communities

Non-Verbal – The way which each character is dressed throughout the trailer.

Helps to display to the audience that there is a dark tone underlying the trailer and allowing them to think that any events that occur will end badly

“Multi-Stranded Narrative”

Technical – The way the camera is used within the scene helps to establish that the focus is on Max Branning however there are multiple stories revolving around him from different characters.

Trailer displays different meaning from 4 different perspectives, Tanya, Jack, Bradley and Stacey. Showing how everyone’s future narratives tie in to Max Branning. Creating the belief that everyone at some point is going to have to deal with him or have a problem with him.

‘Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

Non-Verbal, Technical, Verbal– Through the use of the soundtrack for Verbal connotations in the lyrics, the camera shots to display technical meanings and the costumes to display non-verbal signifiers.

Different aspects throughout the trailer give deeper connotations to the audience. For example Tanya clenching the Morgue bed, Stacey being dressed as a provocative maid or Max being the security guard.

Multi-stranded narrative

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A Multi-stranded narrative can be defined as telling a story from more than one persons point of view or telling multiple stories about multiple characters in an open narrative episode for example.

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

narrativeDexter + Avon Tanya + Max (Technical), Tanya + Abi Kat + Alice

Immersion into the community, feel like a part of it.

Family relationships and/or conflict

“Sorry are you part of this conversation” (Verbal), “Let’s try and be a family” Tanya to Lauren

Feel a sense of tension and possibilities for future conflict or issues to occur.

Focus on working class communities

Colloquial Language – “I ain’t even interested”, Setting – Domestic Home/ Market Place

Helps create a zeitgeist and a deepened feeling of it being a real location in east London.

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov)

“She’s on a slippery slope” (Verbal),“Jump off the roof of the victoria” (Verbal)

Creates the dramas in the show that are one of the main points that hook the audience.

Romance Max + Tanya (Separated), Jack and Sharon.

Another element that is very popular in soap opera’s as there is almost a certified guarantee that it will lead to future conflict and problems at some time.

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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.

Code & Convention Evidence Impact on the audienceRebecca Feasey (2007) Ideology:

1.The Family – Multiple families being shown throughout the extract that conform to Feasey’s ideology.

2.The Home – Prominent within the clip as everyone starts off in their homes at the beginning of the clip.

3.Domestic Tribulations – There are many domestic tribulations for example when they are inside the rovers return as Stella makes one of her daughter’s tea. An argument begins and this is typical of families as they usually fight but resolve their issues.

4.Appealing to the female viewer –A lot of appeal within soap opera to the

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female viewer as it entirely revolves around the basis of family life and the domestic tribulations that are associated with it. It helps to create diversions from daily life and provides them a chance to relax while being able to ‘personally identify’ and ‘relate’ to the narrative occurring.

5.The Strong Woman – Throughout the extract there are many examples of a strong woman being presented to the audience and these are the women that the female segment of the audience find the most appealing and build a ‘personal relationship’ with as they seem to possess the power of getting things the way they want it to be.

Multi-stranded narrative Technical

Establishing shots portray the different families and their narratives.

Family relationships and/or conflict

VerbalThe families talk to each other in only ways that families would address each other and also there is conflict between them.

Focus on working class communities Non-Verbal/Technical

The characters and their costumes help establish that the focus is on the working class community and also the mid shot and long shot establish the appearance of each character.

Disequilibrium’ (Todorov) Verbal There is disequilibrium between sean and Marcus because Sean thinks that Marcus has lost interest in him so they have an argument and Marcus storms off creating the enigma clue what is going to happen next.

Romance Technical The audience are presented with romance between Mary and Norris as she dances around the shop and begins to smile and laugh when she talks to him.

Soap Opera Codes & Conventions continued – Lesson 4

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Textual Analysis

1) What is the purpose of a trailer?

To advertise a new episode/event premiering on television. Target the audience, generate excitement, showcase the star of the programme, create a hook.

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

- Attract a larger target audience.

- Cheap and easy to get to the audience.

- 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)

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Multi-Stranded Narrative – Becky + Steve, Roy + Hayley, Liz + Jason, Focuses on multiple people and their lives.Character Dilemmas – Becky Drinking down champagne extremely quickly showing a drink problem.Personal Identification – The wedding and the big build up, people rushing aound getting things done.

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)?

Symbolises that there is a gender divide between the characters and that there will be a battle of the sexes.

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

Dark trailer, which is very sinister and evil is binary opposition to the upbeat feel of the music. “A nice day for a white wedding” is also binary opposition as everyone is wearing black. Symbolism of the tear is betrayal and sadness. Features a Multi-Stranded Narrative of the different characters.

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Production Work

1) What is the role of a Producer?

Oversee all aspects of the production across the 3 stages – pre production, production and post production. Manage everyone and ensure everything is in place in order for the text to look 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: Programming, Target audience, Audience figures, History of the channel.

1.4% Audience Share

Target Audience, 16-34 years old

Launched February 2003

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