Conventions of Soap Operas

After looking into the conventions of Soap Operas, it has now helped me to understand what I need to include in my trailer and how my trailer should represent and cater for each issue mentioned.

What is a Soap opera

soap opera n. 1. A drama, typically performed as a serial on daytime television or radio, characterized by stock characters and situations, sentimentality, and melodrama. 2. A series of experiences characterized by dramatic displays of emotion.

soap opera n (Communication Arts / Broadcasting) a serialized drama, usually dealing with domestic themes and characterized by sentimentality, broadcast on radio or television

soap′ op`er•a (ˈɒp ər ə, ˈɒp rə) n. a radio or television series depicting the interconnected lives of many characters often in a sentimental, melodramatic way.

soap opera - Goes back (1939) to the early days of radio suspense serials, which were mainly sponsored by soap-makers; the "opera" part is an echo of the earlier "horse opera"—a Western (1927).

soap opera - a serialized program usually dealing with sentimentalized family matters that is broadcast on radio or television (frequently sponsored by a company advertising soap products)

Highest Rating Crime Dramas and Audience Feedback

IMBD Results

The popular media networking site IMBD is used by audiences around the world to allow others to review and research the latest media products, and audience rating on the particular subject. It provides all the information needed for the viewer to understand the product and how other viewers have received it.
Most Popular Rated Crime Dramas
Breaking Bad - 9.4/10 - 270,463 Votes
Dexter - 9/10 - 232,487 Votes
Sherlock - 9.2/10 - 179,805
Criminal Minds - 8/10 - 63,361 Votes
Luther - 8.5/10 - 25,415 Votes
When producing Crime dramas it is considered important that the story lines follow a set equilibrium of events i.e Equilibrium, Disruption to the Equilibrium (crime committed), Attempt to restore Equilibrium (investigation), Restored Equilibrium (Crime solved, Criminal convicted).
With this in mind, it is important to also consider certain plot twists and variations in order to encourage more audience interest. Theorists Steve Neale, in his work on genre theory, considered a tension between repetition of genre elements and variation that enables to keep soap operas updated and fresh.
There are also sub-genres to be considered within the Crime drama, although thriller will be a recurrent theme throughout, it is crucial to decide on whether I will be following a Forensic focus i.e CSI, Private Detectives i.e Sherlock Homes, Poirot or Police Procedural i.e Law and Order, The Bill.
In my soap opera trailer I will be focusing more on the Police investigation and procedures.

Chosen Category and Genre

These ITV dramas have each inspired me to produce my own Crime based Soap Opera Trailer with elements of a thriller sub genre, this following brief five in the specification. I will incorporate certain pros from each trailer into my own to ensure I produce a professional piece in keeping with the conventions found within these inspirational trailers.

Final Audience Results

Audience Research

After deciding to follow the Soap opera brief due to looking at particular examples on the internet, I now must decide what type of genre my product will follow. In order to do this, I have created a questionnaire to send out to many audiences, this will help me to see which particular genres are favoured by certain people. This will encourage me to decide upon a genre and my niche audience for the product. Here is the original draft for my questionnaire:


I then created the questionnaire properly for audiences to fill in. This was then distributed to a wide range of people to help me get an understanding of what it is the majority of people prefer as a convention in a soap opera.
Questionnaire Having handed out my questionnaire to 20 people all from different age groups and genders, I was able to calculate which particular people liked which genre and what genre was favoured the most. This audience research will enable me to find a target audience for my media product and base my findings around the needs they want to be met.