Evaluation

In the trailer for the new soap opera “Bathwood” forms and conventions of both of the genres of soap opera and film trailer have been used, developed and challenged.

The sequencing of the trailer follows conventions of a trailer, introducing characters before introducing teasers of storylines involved with the introduced characters; the trailer does this whilst not giving too much about the storyline away to the audience. This attracts the curiosity of the audience making them want to watch the soap opera.

Many camera angles and shot types within the trailer use the conventions of soap opera camera angles and shot types, for example using mid shots at eye level in a similar way as seen in soaps.

Some camera angles and shot types used in the trailer challenge the conventions of soap opera, while also following the conventions of a cinematic trailer. When introducing the main family, “the Malones” various camera angles and shot types, more closely associated with film trailers are seen. The opening shot is a low angle mid shot; it shows only the legs of the main family’s characters. This is followed by a mid shot at eye level from behind all of the characters, watching them walk away from the camera. These two shots were designed to keep the characters anonymous from the audience for as long as possible to increase tension and interest of the audience with regards who the characters are. This is a common technique used in trailers, the purpose of a trailer is to generate an interest from its audience for the media product its advertising in order to turn the interest into money.

The music used in the trailer was a composition belonging to a group member, the music was used as it conveyed a darker connotation that was necessary to introduce the Malone characters and the plot lines included in the soap.

Alibis remix by JaySanderson. Uploaded with BandPage by RootMusic
>The combination of the main trailer and the ancillary texts associated with it are quite effective in reflecting the theme of the storylines of the soap opera for the minds of its audience. The advertising poster for example establishes to the audience that the main family are known as the “Malones” they’re a family new to the soap and by the tilted picture frames it is established to the audience that this family isn’t perfect, that they have issues.

This connotation is reinforced on the front cover of the TV listings magazine, with the heading “Bad news for Bathwood” and the subheading “New family, new soap, old secrets”.

The TV listings magazine and the poster are effective but only offer the snap shot connotations that they do; they are further reinforced in the trailer as the issues are shown to the audience, for example, adultery and alcoholism.

As connotations are established and reinforced across both ancillary texts and the trailer, I would argue they are an effective combination.

I made a choice with the poster to establish to the audience clearly that the characters involved are a family. To do this I decided to go with the idea of having picture frames on the wall, I also decided to tile two of the pictures to show to the audience a connotation of the family as not being the perfect family.

In the trailer of Bathwood several social groups are represented, with the character Tommy Bagwell a representation of a working class man is created for the audience, this is created mainly through the mise en scene of the characters costume. Tommy Bagwell is seen wearing a white hooded top in the affair scene of the trailer, he is next seen in the attack scene holding Scott Malone against a wall in retaliation as Scott knows about Tommy’s affair with Michelle Bagwell, This violent behaviour is used to create a negative impression of the character in the minds of the soap operas audience, this effect was created as it’s known in soap operas that there are often villain characters, as a group we wanted Tommy to fulfil this villain character and also to be a rival of Barry Malone in such a way similar to that of the rivalry seen in coronation street between ken Barlow and mike Baldwin. Not a lot else is revealed about who Tommy Bagwell is however this follows the conventions of a trailer, it should build interest from the soap’s potential audience.

In one of Bathwood’s opening storyline the social group of alcoholics are represented. The character Frieda Malone is a struggling alcoholic, the character is shown to be at a difficult stage in her life in the trailer, it is made obvious to the audience due to the mise en scene of the whisky bottle and the silence of the diegetic sound in this scene that she is an alcoholic. While it can be argued that a stereotype was used here as the alcoholic character was unconscious in her scene, as a group it was decided that such an event was unavoidable and unlike many stereotypes this one was not intended to carry a negative value judgement but rather it was to show the audience the health risks involved of abusing alcohol. It was hoped that through this advertisement the soap could contribute to its audience as both an entertaining media platform and an educational tool, the hope was that it would educate its audience while also improving the self esteem of alcoholic viewers such that they would be able to pick themselves up and lift out of alcoholism.

The character Barry Malone is the father figure of the Malone family, he carries a resemblance in character to Phil Mitchell of eastenders, as a boss like “hard nut” character. The deck of cards seen in his hands and the menacing stare he employs are designed to show the audience that emphasis will be placed on the character Barry, the cards carry a connotation of greed and lust for power, while the stare he gives the camera in the trailer can give the connotation to the audience that this man can do whatever it takes to reach fulfil his greed.

I believe the BBC is the institution that would distribute the soap opera “Bathwood”, the BBC were behind the soap opera eastenders and it is my opinion that the two soap operas have similarities in plot lines and gritty natures, and so as the BBC distributed eastenders and it was successful then the BBC would be willing to distribute Bathwood.

After showing Bathwood Drive’s trailer to many people and asking for feedback, the reception gathered was mainly positive, some suggestions were made for improvements by members of the audience. The suggestions made by audience members were to do with minor mistakes that were overlooked in the preparation of the soap trailer, although these mistakes were minor they were easy so set right after they were pointed out to us. The positive feedback generated was mainly focused on the many different camera angles seen in the trailer; the audience appreciated the use of cinematic camera angles such as the shot that showed the side of Barry Malone’s face. After seeing the trailer many members of the audience also praised the trailers soundtrack, saying that the difference in music from traditional trailers made an interesting change, the combination of the audiences praise for the soap opera made this trailer in my opinion very successful.

To create the soap trailer, there were a variety of software packages available to the group. The programs used included, adobe Photoshop cs3, serif movie plus x3 and audacity.

Adobe Photoshop was used in the creation of titles included in the trailer. Serif movie plus x3 was used to piece all of the clips and images we had to create the trailer. Audacity was used to record and edit voiceovers.

Before moving to editing software using the cameras we were given we viewed several digital rushes to find individual clips that were useable and also various camera angles that could be linked for dramatic effect during the trailer.

Many effects were created using adobe Photoshop, including drop shadow and creation of the correct font we deemed necessary for the trailer.

One of the main editing tools used from the serif video editing program was the cross fade effect between scenes; this effect was used between many scenes to increase tension for the audience but also to make the trailer for the soap follow more conventions of film trailers in order to make it more exciting for the audience.

The creation of the voiceover demanded the use of audio editing technology not found within the serif video editing program, as a group we decided to use audacity, there were a few reasons for this, the program is free and it’s very reliable in producing professional sounding effects. I created the echo effect heard in the trailer not with an effect in the software but by copying the audio track and aligning them in such a way that one track was 0.1 seconds in front of the other, I then reduced the gain on the 2^nd track by -6 decibels this created the desired effect of the echo that sounded like an internal character monologue, this is another feature more commonly see in film trailers however the desired effect was to excite the audience and I believe it was successful in attaining this effect.

Once all of the editing was complete the finished trailer was exported and burned to a DVD under the software programs highest quality setting, this allows the video to look as good as it possibly can be.

Since AS I feel my abilities to create and edit media products has increased immensely. I think the ability difference shows in the amount of editing I have personally included in the A2 product when compared to the AS project film. For example the AS film had at most 2 camera angles for the film’s main scene, this did not make for pleasant viewing of its audience. The sheer number of camera angles and shot types shown in the A2 project shows my own personal development.

Another aspect that I believe shows my improved abilities is professional audio editing. In my AS project any audio editing that was included was accomplished simply using the tools and effects preloaded into the software, essentially what I have done in the audio editing for the A2 project is create my own echo effect using complicated track alignment and gain/volume editing accordingly to get the correct effect that I felt was right for the scene.

A final aspect that I believe shows my improved abilities in media is the ability to edit video professionally. This I believe has improved tenfold, it has moved from something I dreaded doing to something that I truly enjoy, for me editing the final product and making sure it’s as good as it can be was by far my favourite part of the project, I enjoyed piecing the scenes together such that they flowed and appeared to be filmed at the same time from separate recorded scenes. The comparison of sequencing from the AS project to the now A2 project, though they are different concepts I think by viewing both trailers it is obvious how I have improved in the mentioned areas.

Here at the end of the project is the finished trailer:

Anscillary texts: poster, Tv mag

Through audience feedback of the trailer for the soap opera Bathwood it was revealed that while it was obvious to the audience the main characters were related in terms of plotlines, it wasn’t obvious to them that they were a family. In my poster I tried to emphasise to the audience that family life, a key convention in soap opera genre is an important aspect of the Bathwood soap. One of the ways I’ve tried to do this is with the use of picture frames over a wallpaper background. The choice of the style of wallpaper seen in the poster shows a connotation of a peaceful family home, and to the audience may show the family as slightly old fashioned. I’ve purposely tilted two of the picture frames to create a connotation to the audience that while they are a family the characters lives are by no means perfect, this connotation is further enforced with the photos within the frames included on the poster. The characters in the frames are shown as possibly malicious to the audience as they aren’t smiling and the poses assumed by the characters.

The second ancillary text I had to produce was a television magazine cover. Initially I thought that this task was going to be very difficult as we as students were not allowed to use imagery from any source other than ourselves, as a class it was decided what we would do was use pictures from other groups and promote their soaps and/or other television shows on our magazine covers.
The masthead is a box standard masthead very typical of TV listings magazine covers; the square design was inspired by other TV listings magazines I had seen in order to prepare to create my own.
One convention I stuck to maintaining throughout this text is the convention of using light pastel colours for the colours of the TV mag for example the blue background and the yellow background in my poster.
On some pictures on the cover I have simply given them the headings of the storyline and not listed the soap operas or dramas that the storylines are from, this was done deliberately and is a convention see across many TV listings magazine covers. I have done this because people who normally watch certain soap operas know when a storyline is from soap they watch simply from seeing a picture of a well known character or reading the small title for that particular picture, it may also draw in audience members who find the advertisement interesting without knowing it is a soap opera.
One of the pictures advertises a competition show known as "the Y factor", I created it as a response to a popular professional talent competition from Britain "the X factor", I did this so as not to cause any copyright infringement and also to show that normally TV listings magazines don’t just show soaps but other televised events as well.
The central image is off Barry Malone and Tommy Bagwell, as rivals I thought it would be fitting to establish their rivalry in a way the public would easily be able to see, the connotation of Tommy Bagwell standing behind Barry Malone and looking down can tell the audience that Tommy is hiding something from Barry and is nervous about telling Barry about it.
I tried to emphasise this concept of lying by adding a subheading of "New soap, New family old secrets" This title not only establishes that Bathwood is a soap not a drama but also that the Malone family is moving into the area and that they have old secrets relating to wherever they came from.

Choices made in production process

Low angle shot of walking legs, then shot of characters walking from behind characters: keeps characters anonymous until they’re introduced, creates a sense of tension for audience

· Inclusion of many camera angles in opening walking scene: establishes scene for audience, establishes characters as main characters.

· Side camera angle of face (cinematic): challenges conventions of soaps eye level camera angles, gives the audience something new and fresh, establishes main character

· Close up of character then split to scene about that character: establishes characters shows audience how important the character is in the next scene

·

Choice of mise en scene in Barry Malone’s scene, pack of cards: shows the audience a deviant side to the character, connotation of gambling, greed.

The sound of Scott hitting the wall twice in the attack scene gives the audience a sense that the attack is worse than it really is, the diegetic sound repeated shocks the audience and establishes to the audience the gritty nature of the soap similar to that of eastenders

The echo applied to the voiceover in the adultery scene over the fade between shots: shows the audience time has passed and through the echo the audience can establish that it is an internal monologue. This isn’t uncommon in soap trailers.

The scenes involving Frieda are shot in darkened areas to emphasize to the audience the struggle and despair of alcoholism

Close up on whisky bottle shows audience that alcohol is the key subject of this scene

· The final shot panning upwards over the pub establishes finally to the audience that the new family is moving into this pub.

Alibis remix by JaySanderson. Uploaded with BandPage by RootMusic

This is the soundtrack of the main trailer. It was chosen because it was decided that these characters and the plotlines they would be involved in are initially darker than those you would normally find in a soap opera.
Another reason this was chosen was to link in with the cinematic camera angles some music you would expect from a thriller genre of cinematic film. The aspects of the trailer that can be seen as conventions of trailers for films allow this product to fulfil its role as a trailer, following the convention of being exciting and attractive for new audience members. The combination of the camera angles and music allow the audience to see that while this is still a soap opera it is bringing new exciting aspect to it that break conventions of soap opera genre.
This blending of film trailer and soap opera genres is seen in other soap opera trailers as written about in my textual analysis, the coronation street 50th anniversary trailer shows exciting fast paced shots that include panning and fades with dramatic music, normally conventions of a film trailer to advertise a soap opera, generate an interest from its audience and ultimately make money for the media companies involved.

Design process: challenges faced when creating a new soap, choices made in the design process and why

Challenges

One of the main challenges faced when developing a new soap opera is the audiences unfamiliarity with the characters that are involved in the soap, This can be overcome by introducing the characters as stereotypes and then from there developing deeper characters as the soap opera continues and becomes more serial and accepted by the public.

Our group is overcoming the challenge of introducing a new soap by creating characters, the Malones, who are being introduced to the soap with the audience and so their characters can evolve with the soaps audience.

Choices made in design process

One of the first choices the group had to make in the design process was the setting and then the name of the soap. As a group it was decided that a suburban town setting would be the best option for both filming and practicality, as the local area matched the decided location of the soap. The name of the location “Bathwood” was derived from a street name and was decided to be a good name for a suburban town in the east midlands of Great Britain.

Another important choice the group had to make was the list of characters that would be included in the soap; we knew from experience with soaps that many soaps have a family that has a reputation for being a “Hard nut” family. The main characters we drew inspiration from for this family were the Mitchell brothers Phil and Grant from Eastenders. We tried to include the stereotypical tough boss family persona in the family, named the “Malone” family, a reference to Bugsy Malone (1976) Highlighting the family’s gang like, violent behaviour.

Once the outline of the included cast of characters was established it was decided that a good storyline for the introductory storyline to the soap would be the Malone family moving into the area and taking over the pub. This was chosen because we thought that it would be a good way to bring an audience to the soap by introducing the main characters to the soap at the same time as its audience. Also this would establish the public house central meeting point for characters, as a group we decided that this would allow the soap to follow two conventions of the soap opera genre with one idea.

With the name,setting main characters and storylines of the soap designed we needed to delve deeper into each character’s individual storyline for the first episode.

The character Michelle is the mother of the Malone family, she is shown to be having an affair with the character Tommy Bagwell. We know that affairs are a key storyline within soap operas; they have existed since soap operas began as radio serials. This storyline was chosen as it fits the conventions of the soap opera and allows for character development of three of the characters included in the soap.

The character Scott is the son of the character Michelle, Scott is in his early twenties, unbeknownst to Michelle, Scott knows about her affair with Tommy and plans to use the information to his advantage at some point in the future. Tommy Bagwell however knows that Scott knows and makes an effort to make sure that Scott won’t say anything to anyone about the affair

The character Frieda is Michelle’s daughter and Scott’s sister, also in her twenties. Recently Frieda had an abortion; the father of the baby is currently unknown. However the loss of her baby caused Frieda to become severely depressed, through her depression she turned to alcohol and is an alcoholic. This storyline was chosen because it is controversial, it challenges soap opera conventions and it will attract audience members who want to see something new from a soap opera.

The character Barry Malone is Michelle’s husband, and Scott and Frieda’s father. He and his family have moved to the area to “start again” as he puts it. Barry is greedy, arrogant and out to make as much money as he can in any way possible, taking over the pub seems like the perfect plan.Barry was created as a sort of Phil Mitchell recreation, as he is an iconic soap character it was decided that basing a character off of him would give existing soap fans a character to relate to when they begin watching Bathwood. Also the suspense to find out what Barry will do in response to Michelle’s affair will attract viewers.

The character Tommy Bagwell was created as a “nemesis” for Barry and his family, having an affair with his wife and attacking his son. The inspiration for such a rivalry is loosely based on the rivalry shared between the characters ken Barlow and Mike Baldwin in Coronation Street, both rivalries have adultery story lines within them and the audience may pick up on this.

One choice that was made in the design process was to include younger characters that break the conventions of soap operas; for example Scott and Frieda and older characters that stick to conventions of soap, this would both prove exciting for the audience to see old and new ways of thinking, but also it works as a clever metaphor for how times change quickly in modern day Britain.