Audience Feedback

Questionnaire 1

1. What gender are you?
Male

2. Do you think soaps are interesting to watch? If no, why?
Yes because they portray a sense of realism and reflect everyday life. Sometimes they can be slightly melodramatic but it still ties in with the real life scenarios.

3. What attracts you to watch a soap drama?
The characters and storylines.

4. What type of audience do you think my media products are targeted at?
Older teens and adults (18+)

5. Do you think the magazine cover emulates a professional listings cover? Why?
Yes because it holds all the conventions of a magazine and is professionally done with the style of typography and use of colour.

6. Do you think the poster is appealing and promotes the soap well? Why?
Yes it is appealing and does promote the soap well as it is simple and effective and gets the message clearly across through the slogan.

7. Is there anything I can do to improve my media products?
No, they tie in well together and are well made.

8. Do you think my soap trailer, magazine front cover and poster fulfil their purposes?
Yes because they all follow the conventions of each one well and you can clearly see that they are a trailer, magazine cover and poster.

9. Any other comments?
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Questionnaire 2

1. What gender are you?
Female

2. Do you think soaps are interesting to watch? If no, why?
Yes because they are a source of entertainment and conversation.

3. What attracts you to watch a soap drama?
The characters, storylines and specific things that I can relate to myself personally i.e. the location or stereotypical characters.

4. What type of audience do you think my media products are targeted at?
Adults and teens.

5. Do you think the magazine cover emulates a professional listings cover? Why?
Yes it does as it attracts the eye easy through the use of bold colours and they busyness of the page is similar to ordinary listings covers.

6. Do you think the poster is appealing and promotes the soap well? Why?
I do as it portrays a modern and urban look which makes it appealing to the target audience however I do think that it could have included more characters so we can gain more knowledge about the soap. On the other hand the slogan indicates what the soap is about well subtly.

7. Is there anything I can do to improve my media products?
No, apart from perhaps within the trailer more footage consisting of character conversations could be used.

8. Do you think my soap trailer, magazine front cover and poster fulfil their purposes?
Yes.

9. Any other comments?
/

Diary Entries

• October 2010

1. Firstly I chose a brief.
2. Secondly, I researched different posters/soap magazine covers and analysed them so I could gain a good understanding of how a soap is portrayed in both these media texts.
3. Thirdly, I researched soap names (ranging from nationally to worldwide) and concluded with 'Northerners'.
4. Finally, I began to become familiar with Photoshop again (after my AS coursework) and began to plan my ancillary tasks.

• November - December 2010

1. Firstly, I planned my ancillary tasks.
2. Secondly, I decided where I was going to photograph my model for my poster and main image of my magazine cover.
3. Finally, I began to create my ancillary tasks and completed them towards the end of December.

• January 2011

1. Firstly, I researched two trailers of two British soaps ('Eastenders' and 'Coronation Street').
2. Secondly, I planned my main task in three stages: I created a storyboard consisting of different locations/shots/editing elements and directions. I then created a shot list of which shots I would use first and then I developed a script consisting of what the voice overs would say.
3. Thirdly, I researched into possible background tracks that could be used in my trailer. I finally decided on the first few seconds of the theme song to 'Halloween'. I created a continuous loop of it and allowed it to run in he background.

• February 2011.

1. Firstly, I filmed the pan shots for my setting.
2. Secondly, I transferred the footage of my setting onto Final Cut Pro and began editing.
3. Thirdly, I recorded my voice overs using a video camera and then transferred it to Final Cut Pro. After keeping the audio but hiding the visual I was able to keep my original footage and have the voice overs in the back.
4. Fourthly, I recorded my footage of various characters and included small snippets of them into my footage.
5. Fifthly, I incorporated my music and completed all the transitions.
6. Finally, I added the final touches to my blog.

Organisation

• Location: Langley Green, Oldbury.
• Langley Green consists of a high street, park, canal, terraced housing and a industrial estate. It's overall scenery represents a village town feel rather than a city outlook.
• The high street consists of ideal shops that you would associate with a soap drama. I.e. a local pub, a taxi service, a restaurant and general stores.
• The park also consisted of a small area and benches which is commonly seen in soaps as a place where characters go to be on their own.
• The terraced housing represents the lifestyles of the locals and this is further reinforced by industrial estate. It shows that the characters that would be associated with my soap do not obtain a glamourous lifestyle.

• Camera used: HD Camera.
• The camera allowed me to shoot footage in HD format.

• Software used: Final Cut Pro Express, Live Type and Youtube convertor.
• This software allowed me to use certain clips and add effects on my footage. E.g. cross fading and reduced speed.
• Live Type allowed me to create text which would be situated towards the end of my video.
• Youtube convertor converted my track into a mp3 file and Final Cut Pro allowed me to trim it and use certain bits of the track which I repeated along my footage.

Storyboard, shot list and scripting

• Storyboard:

• Shot List:

1. Establishing pan shot of canal
2. Close up of girl character with voice over
3. Establishing pan shot of local pub
4. Close up of boy character with voice over
5. Long establishing shot of bench/park
6. Close up of girl character with voice over
7. Wide pan shot of 'Langley Village' sign
8. Close up of girl character with voice over
9. Wide pan shot of general stores
10. Close up of boy character with voice over
11. Wide pan shot of terraced housing with text

• Scripting:

1. Girl: "I kept telling everyone this town isn't safe."
2. Boy: "No matter how peaceful it is, there's always something going on."
3. Girl: "There's no way it would be a secret around here."
4. Girl: "And there's no one you can trust."
5. Boy: "It takes one to turn your life upside down."
6. Girl and Boy: "Nobody said it was easy."

Target audience research

After researching two soap trailers I gathered that the overall target audience generally for a soap ranges from early teens (16+ to late 40s). I asked two people within this age range eight questions:

• What themes and messages do you expect a soap trailer to portray?
• Would you like to see characters within a soap trailer?
• Do you think the setting is vital to be seen within a trailer?
• Is a background track a necessity within a trailer?
• Do you think voice overs help you identify what the soap may be about?
• If there were characters within a soap, would you be more interested if they represented certain stereotypes?
• Would you like to see any special effects within the trailer?
• Do you think having text within a trailer is important? and if so, why?

After asking these questions, I came to the conclusion of producing a trailer which included both setting and characters, alongside voice overs. This way, the target audience can identify the location of the soap, the characters that are in it and the voice overs will represent certain situations within the soap itself. I have decided not to include any special effects as it may seem unrealistic, however I will be using text within the footage to indicate the name of the soap and when it will be starting. Throughout the trailer, I will have a loop beat continuously playing as well as the voice overs, just to keep the viewers interested.

Main task research - 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4orhsy4yjHY&feature=related - Becky and Steve's wedding

• Begins with a medium shot of the female protagonist (in this case the Bride), who is dressed in a hot pink satin robe and a glittery tiara, indicating the idea of a fairytale wedding. This could appeal to more of a female audience as they can easily relate to her.
• The diegetic music in the background reinforces the idea of 'luck' as it repeatedly mentions the word in the song.
• This is further reinforced by the close up of the 'Good luck' card showed in the second shot. Other close up shots such as one of the male characters spraying 'Good luck' on the windscreen of the wedding car and the glass monument placed on the cake which said 'Good luck'.
• Many of the shots are close up of characters creating the perfect wedding day - i.e icing the cake, placing wine glasses on the table etc.
• Close ups of the champagne bottle and of the females face shows her happiness and her celebrating with bird's eye view shots of her spinning in her dress and walking out of the cafe. Whereas the male characters close ups show his hesitation, nervousness and doubt. This is again represented by the mid shots of him in the mirror and cleaning his shoes, doing his tie and staring at himself in the mirror.
• The settings vary within the trailer. The protagonists are in glamourous and modern rooms which are white in colour and minimalistic. This portrays the idea of purity and unity and the general theme for a 'white wedding'. The exterior shots however include the setting of 'Coronation Street' contrasting against the modern setting used for the bride and groom.
• The voiceover also supports the theme of 'luck' as it states the day of the 'perfect wedding' is Friday 13th. This is generally to be seen as unlucky, and is a play on of words. This allows the audience to question what may happen thus creating suspense and people being more intrigued.

Granada Television takes control of how 'Coronation Street' is publicised to the public. Granada TV also produced dramas such as 'A Family at War', both which unlike 'Corrie', have stopped running. These dramas are linked as they both portray a more 'socialist' environment, which effectively is what the institution itself is based on. It was known and still is as a more 'socialist' company than other conservative ones.

After the analysis of this trailer I am considering:

• on using different elements such as non diegetic music to reinforce a certain theme within my trailer.
• using a location that represents a certain lifestyle.

Main task research - 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p4xlLezos0&feature=related - Kat and Alfie Moon return to the Square

• Begins with an establishing shot of the central setting of the soap - The Queen Vic.
• The movement of the bag across the ground with the wind and slight sepia tint to the moving image give the impression that it is set in a western film like setting.
• The close up of the woman's black cowboy boots again reinforce the western theme.
• The drawing of the blinds quickly by one of the characters indicates danger and fear. This could perhaps foreshadow upcoming events.
• The camera moves upwards until it reaches one of the protagonist's face and focuses on her.
• The small snippets of other characters who stop what they are doing in order to see what is going on represents the idea of suspicion and awe.
• At the start when we see the female protagonists clothing we still get the sense of a western theme however when she removes her outerwear she reveals her true character who can easily relate to the target audience.
• As the male protagonist arrives he is also dressed in western attire and reveals himself when he moves out of the shadow.
• The continuous jump shots between both characters show the tension or even indicate the relation between both and this is illustrated again by the birds eye view shot of them both facing each other. It almost demonstrates a sort of showdown feeling between both characters.
• The non-diegetic music helps reinforce the idea of action and drama.
• The title at the bottom indicates that this storyline is going to continue into next week. Therefore showing it's significance to the plot.

The BBC (British Broadcasting Company) have produced 'Eastenders', and have created a way for it to represent everyday life in a inner city manner, whilst still being able to reflect social issues with realism.

After the analysis of this trailer I am considering:

• On creating the idea of action through non-diegetic music or voiceovers
• Using a tint effect throughout my video

Main task

My main task requires me to produce a trailer to advertise a new soap.

Final Poster - 'Northerners'

Final Magazine Cover - 'Soapxclusive'

Photoshop Practice - Masthead for magazine cover

- This was my original idea for a masthead. However it did not stand out or attract the eye from far.

- However I then discovered how to emboss text and create a stroke shadow. This effect allowed me to deepen it and I was able to make it fall at any angle I required it to. I also changed it to a neon colour.

- Another experiment with the masthead consisted of changing the typography to italic and making the colour more subtle.

- Finally, I decided to use a bold red, and keep the embossed feature with the stroke shadow.

Photoshop Practice - Poster

- Original photos were taken against a dark blue background. This would be more efficient and easier to use the magnetic lasso tool around so it could cut correctly and not leave no jagged edges.

- Some photos were taken against a white background however here I was experimenting with making her skin look less pale by increasing the colour temperature and contrast levels.

- In the next two photos I have increased the brightness levels and reduced the opacity. I have also made the background more brighter but using a gradient effect.

- For the basis of the poster I used a dark grey gradient which slowly got darker around the edges from the middle. I used the magnetic lasso tool to cut around my main image and placed an outer glow around her body. To make the outer glow stand out, I increased it's depth.

- Here after copying and pasting the same image three times I reduced the opacity levels of the second and even more so on the first. This also affected their outer glow as it's strength reduced too.

Poster - planning

Magazine front cover - planning

Ancillary Task Overview

After researching both media texts, I have decided my overall plans for the magazine cover and poster.

The magazine cover will be named 'Soapxclusive', and the deliberate missing of the 'e' in exclusive will perhaps appeal to a more urban, youthful audience. My overall target audience will be from 16 - 30 year olds. It will consist of:

• bright colours
• bold masthead
• strap lines and strap images across the cover
• one main image (indicating the new soap)
• other conventions such as barcode, price, date and skyline etc.

The poster will be minimalistic and modern, with a tinted effect and less colour saturation. The main image will be repeated three times, each varying with different opacity levels and an outer glow. The title for the poster will be situated in the corner away from the details of when it is starting and on what channel, again promoting it's simple outlook and appealing to a young audience.

Poster research - 2

This poster portrays the main characters within the soap, and has used certain elements to portray the difference between males and females. All females for instance have tinted pink photos whereas the males are situated in tinted blue ones. The close up of the photos show each individual characters emotions, and also allow the audience to take their own impression on what they think of them. The pink and blue is also situated within the simplistic title 'Hollyoaks'. To represent the idea of females and males the signs normally associated with ladies and gentlemen have been incorporated within the title. For example the first letter 'O' is the sign for women and the second letter 'O' is the sign for men. This could suggest the idea of equality thus appealing to a broader audience. The separate images of the male and female characters also reinforce this. The images are all of young and youthful characters thus showing that the soap may appeal to a young target audience of 16 - 25 years of age.

After the analysis of this poster I am considering:

• a tint effect on any images
• images repeated amongst the poster

Poster research - 1

This poster is associated with the soap 'Eastenders'. If you are not a regular viewer of the programme, then this poster would not necessarily appeal to you, as you would not understand the meaning of it. However for those who do, the postcode 'E20' is known as the area 'Watford', where 'Eastenders' is based. 'Albert Square' is where everything within the soap is associated with; The Queen Vic, residents home, the high street/market stalls etc. The poster is in grayscale, illustrating the idea that it is not new and has been established for a long time. This is also reinforced by the old style street sign. Again this could reflect the target audience to being around 18 - 45 years of age. By having a picture of a street sign represents how significant this area is in the programme. The street sign's typography is simplistic and not confusing.

After the analysis of this poster I am considering:

• non colour imagery
• simplistic font

Magazine cover research - 2

'TV Choice' is another listings magazine which provides weekly updates on TV in general - not just soaps. Unlike a soap magazine, it's not clustered with too much information on one page, therefore appealing to a wider audience as it's simplistic view can show everything at one glance, without causing readers to shy away from picking it up off a shop shelf. It's masthead is situated in the left hand corner; more like a logo rather than a head of a magazine. The red connotes alertness, and is the only red situated on the page, again immediately attracting readers. Underneath the masthead is a large 32 pointed shape, illustrating the price of the magazine itself. It's largeness demonstrates the idea of how cheap it is, and this is also reinforced by the fact that the price is mentioned again on the cover in the top right hand corner. The header is written in a simple, capitalised and yellow typography, again immediately attracting readers at once due to it's brightness. The three strap images along the right hand side are also framed in yellow circles again linking them to the main feature and highlighting it's importance. Like red, yellow indicates awareness, thus reinforcing the previous point. The title's of other programmes are also written in caps, illustrating their importance and draw readers attention to the strap lines alongside them. Some words are also embossed to highlight them even more and allow the audience to identify them quicker. Strap images also help the audience to identify who the characters are associated within that programme. Some characters are outlined with a outer glow which portrays the story line that they are featured in as more appealing/interesting. The blue background makes the magazine stand out, as the colours on the page contrast against it. It also holds a bar code and date but no skyline.

After the analysis of this magazine cover I am considering:

• using a outer glow on my strap images to make them stand out
• emboss typography to allow readers to be easily attracted

Magazine cover research - 1

'Inside Soap' is a magazine which provides soap lovers with weekly updates on what is occurring in soaps at that time. The masthead is written in red, and contrasts against the rest of the magazine, making it stand out from the rest and is immediately seen by viewers. The colour red connotes the idea of alertness, again attracting people to read the magazine as it draws their attention. Alongside the colour red, orange, yellow, black and white have been used within the strap lines. This shows the overall theme of the magazine and makes the magazine seem more organised as the cover consists of many images, thus dividing each strap line into one section. It's typography is simplistic, therefore making it easy to read, understand and able to emphasise the images. However, all typography is capitalised, illustrating the importance of each storyline and again appealing to all readers as they will be able to identify what they enjoy watching/reading about. Words such as 'Kill', 'Betrayed', 'Kidnapped', 'Tragedy' and 'Scandal', are all placed within orange boxes, highlighting them as to be controversial story lines thus pulling in readers. This is again further illustrated by the use of exclamation marks. The header is situated on a black shape and written in an orange non capitalised typography. The four images set in the middle of the magazine cover all represent one soap, indicating that the most interesting story lines are to commence within that soap (in this case 'Eastenders'), and immediately attract readers due to their size. Like ordinary magazines, this front cover consists of a bar code and price too. Normally the skyline would be situated at the top, however here it is situated underneath the masthead, but still manages to attract attention due to it's italic font and different colours within it.

After the analysis of this magazine cover I am considering:

• using a red masthead to stand out to the readers
• having many images associated with different programmes and strap lines
• using 3-4 colours to generate a theme within my magazine
• place my skyline underneath my masthead to create a unique feel
• use of boxes, simplistic and capitalised typography to emphasise different story lines

Ancillary Tasks

My magazine cover and poster both were my Ancillary tasks. Alongside these, I had to collect research and plan both before producing them. I also had to think of my target audience.

Brief

5. A promotion package for a new soap opera, to include a TV trailer, together with two of the following:

• a listings magazine front cover featuring the new soap;
• two hyperlinked webpages (with video extract) for the soap's website;
• a poster for the soap

From the above three, I have chosen to create a listings magazine front cover featuring the new soap and a poster for the soap.