Contextual Studies: Soap Opera

Soap Opera
Soap storyline writers may look pack at past episodes for inspiration
Eastenders
Set in fictional Lodon Borough
Initially broadcasted twice a week

Audiences would see melodrama- always have villain and damsel in distress. It would primarily deal with family and emotional issues.
All soap operas share common codes and conventions
There are also other soaps like coronation street an Emmerdale.

Technical Conventions
Multi-Camera
Limited sets
Diegetic sound

Live episodes are rare with Eastenders but happen for novelty episodes
Early Soaps transmitted live or recorded 'as live'.
Set has been rebuilt and modified over the years.
HD technology has required more 'realistic' sets.

Episode Format- typically 30 minutes per limit. Open ended storylines with episode cliff hangers (to sustain audience).

Repetition-relies on stock characters and location for each episode.

Resolution- Serial form mean constantly evolving; soap plots may take, weeks, months or even years to be resolved.

Melodrama? Or soap?
pathos
overwrought emotion
moral polarisation
coincidence and 'deus ex machina'
sensationalism


British Social Realism
Contemporary-REalistic settings and character dealing with social issues. E.g. drug abuse, mental illness, HIV, sexual abuse violence,

Political intent- Campaigning issues

Secular
Not subject to or bound by religious rule; not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order.

Representation-Under-represented groups become represented. class, gender, race, sexuality

Critical approaches to genre
Realism-Are soaps realistic? Changing forms: ten soaps like Hollyoaks , soap influence on reality TV
Representation- Challenge of diversity vs stereotypes; changing social attitudes.
Reception theory- How audiences costume soap (uses and gratification); contract between producers and viewers.




Blumler and Kratz; uses gratification
Diversion-Escapism
Personal relationships-Social interaction, either with the fictional characters or through dialogue with other.
Personal identity-Audience identification
Surveillance-How the genre or the programme informs or challenges our world view on topical or social issues.


Good book source: Richard Kiborn, Television Soaps (1992)

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