Analasis of the soap ''Home And Away''

Analysing Opening Title Sequences - What? Why?

One of the main stages of production in my groups research and planning stages is the insight into current soap operas and their use of conventions in order to create a realistic viewing experience for the audience. From the viewing of current soap operas we hope to gain the correct knowledge and understanding of how to create an effective soap and also the efficient techniques to make our product either conventional or unconventional. The analysis of different types of soaps (e.g. Australian, English.. ) will broaden our knowledge and also allow us to understand how each is different through their use of convention elements.

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Unlike the majority of soaps aired on television in Britain the beggining of Home And Away shows what has happened on previous episodes to keep audiences updated and also introducing new viewers.


Audience:

Im not a regular viewer of Home and Away, but the first viewing gave me the impression it was aimed at teenagers, the first scene was a drunken teenage party. However the more i watched into it, i felt it opened out to a more mature audience , with worrying parents and family problems etc.





Its based around a small community, with locals meeting points being a school and a cafe. There are the common problems that arise in groups of friends, like gossip and rumours.


Representation:


Older characters are at home, worrying about the younger characters out partying.

The younger characters who are at a party drinking alcohol, dancing and acting disordely, sterotypes as a typical teenager.





Man is in the kitchen washing the plates, the woman sits down, goes against traditional sexist sterotype of women.

Narrative, storylines:




The storylines are realistic, troubled teenagers turning to alcohol, accidents and family fueds. There was interlocking storylines and also big storylines that viewers of a similar age can relate to taking advice, like underage sex. relationships. hospital check ups etc.


Evaluation

This soap like many other soaps contains cliff hangers, over dramatization, love relationships, family breakdowns etc...
The difference between this soap and a UK soap is the flash back reminders of whats happened in previous episodes, UK soaps such as eastenders and Hollyoaks tend to steer clear of these.

Overall from my research of soap episodes i have come to understand that the producers key target in creating an effective episode stems from their representation of creating a sense of realism through out the soap. From my research into the soap episodes i have clearly understood that producers create a sense of realism through a number of techniques codes and conventions