Key Conventions In Soap Operas

We created a video about the key conventions commonly found in a soap opera, we did research on existing soap operas and the similar conventions they all share.

Characters: A large cast of characters of all ages and backgrounds and who are all familiar with each other.

1. Rowdy teenager - Gaz Bennet, Hollyoaks

2. Couples - Charlene Robinson and Scott Robinson, Neighbours

3. The Boss - Johnny Allen, Eastenders

4. Gossiping older women - Dot Cotton, Eastenders

5. Feisty young female - Mercedes McQueen, Hollyoaks

6. Jack the lad - Alfie Moon, Eastenders

7. Powerful elder - Pat Butcher, Eastenders

Plots:

The story lines are often based around real life situations like relationship troubles, family issues, violence, homosexuality, teenage pregnancy and alcohol and drug abuse. The story lines are made to be as believable as possible by using characters that the audience can relate to. Story lines are continuous and could last from a week to a year. Soap opera's are often filmed in real time and aim for verisimilitude so that audience members, particularly Category D and E, can relate and emphasize with the characters. The most successful soap opera storyline in British TV History is the Den and Angie Watts divorce in Eastenders, this particular storyline had 30.15 million viewers on the 1986 Christmas special. This suggests that divorce, although seen as a controversial issue, can be a situation that is easily related to audience members that feel empathy for the characters.

Another key convention that soap operas share could be how they make sure of Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory, a lot of camera angles focus on the women in soap operas to gain a wider male audience. Ann Gray's gender theory would suggest that females are more likely to watch a soap opera due to the domestic story lines that they can relate to, the male gaze theory is used to attract the male viewers. Soap operas also abide to the Uses and Gratifications Theory which suggests that audience members use media for a personnal gain such as pleasure, an escape from reality or emotional release. Many soap operas bring many controversial issues to the public eye and this enlightens viewers and gives them the chance to emphasize with those who are involved with issues such as child abuse, homosexuality, mental disorders etc. When a controversial storyline is involved in a soap, while the end credits are being shown there is often a narrator speaking of helplines which viewers can contact if they themselves have been affected with these issues and if they need emotional support.