Mind Map of ideas for planning and construction

Plot Line and Summary of my Soap Opera Trailer

Plot Line: This Soap opera will be based on a Police Station in a small village in Penkridge, and their day-to-day lives whilst solving the crimes within the area. The first major plot line will be based around a fifteen year old girl Ellie, who has gone missing from her home in the village, the police and detectives start their investigation, with devastating results. Break down of the Trailer and Background Information: Ellie Dean has suddenly disappeared from her home in Penkridge, with a police search continuing throughout the day and night no sign of the little girl is found. The following morning reports come in of a little girl’s body found by a swamp near the outskirts of a village, thinking this girl is Ellie; her family delves into a frenzy of depression and despair. However, the body found is not of Ellie but of another young girl almost identical to her and around the same age that had also disappeared a few years back from a neighbouring village. With this new lead the police begin to question the motives behind the murder and kidnap, and whether the two have any link. The mystery of why the girl’s body has appeared now when Ellie has just gone missing raises questions that perhaps the killer/kidnapper are the same and that Ellie is now his latest victim. In a bid to save the day and inevitably Ellie’s life, the whole village becomes under scrutiny by the force questioning everyone who has ever been in contact with either of the girls.

Research on soap opera broadcasters

Research on contemporary issues with crime related programs

This article on http://cstonline.tv/cops-on-box highlights the importance of crime dramas in modern society as well as how they are received by a variety of people. The aims mentioned in this article replicate and reiterate the aims of my own media product, which is to interest audiences with thought-provoking real life drama. This text highlights the debates brought about by crime related programs and shows audiences the different issues and themes to be aware of whilst watching such programs, i.e. aesthetic and cultural evolution of British crime drama and the emergence of distinct forms e.g. forensic crime and detective fantasy, the interrelationship of crime drama and changing social politics and identities (including sexuality, race, gender, region and class).

Uses and Gratifications For Crime Soap Operas: Audience Experience

Having looked online for the Uses and Gratifications Theory and how this links with crime soap operas, I found these Slide share presentations outlining the important features of this theory and where exactly they fit in terms of my specific genre. This research proved useful as this will allow me to follow the broad basis of what the consumer wants and how I need to fulfil this. This ideology closely links to narrative structures and conventional archetypes found in such genres, these two ideas will knit together and I will ensure both convey what they audience are looking for.

Conventions of a Crime/Thriller Soap Opera

This research into Crime based Soap opera conventions has given me inspiration for what I should include within my trailer, I have covered each technical aspect so that I gain a clearer understanding on how I should cover each process of the production of my trailer and ancillary tasks. My own production needs to follow these guidelines broadly, this should help me to create a professional piece that would look suited to be broadcast on a national Freeview station such as ITV or BBC.