Comparing the opening title sequences of two British soap operas

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James Thomas 10.6

English Media coursework:

Comparing the opening title sequences of two British soap operas

In this essay I will compare the opening title sequences of two British soap operas and give my thoughts on which sequence I think is better. The two soap operas that I will compare are EastEnders and Hollyoaks.

In order to get the most out of this essay you should have an understanding of what is meant by the term soap opera. A soap opera is a television programme that follows a continuous storyline throughout all of its episodes, has realistic communities, characters and storylines (though these are somewhat exaggerated) and is generally on all year round.

Once this point is understood it is important to understand why soap operas are so significant to the television companies that make them. First and foremost soap operas are ‘audience grabbers’, they attract huge audiences and as the stories are continuous the audience is likely to be ‘loyal’ and watch regularly. Soap operas also provide a corporate identity for the companies that make them. If a company made a soap opera that was about upper class in the countryside for instance, people would think of the company as for higher class people and likely to make programmes about the countryside. This is also true for the particular area that a soap opera may be set in, the southeast for example.

The title sequences of soap operas are an extremely important part of the programme; as they establish the location and or characters. Also when they come on the audience immediately knows that the programme is about to start, and if they see or hear an extract of it they immediately think of the programme.

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 I chose to look at EastEnders and Hollyoaks as they have very different historical backgrounds and emphasis on audience, but similar urban setting. EastEnders is set in the East End of London and this area has a lot of history associated with it; it was bombed heavily during the Second World War and people ‘pulled together’. Hollyoaks on the other hand has no sense of history attached to it. EastEnders uses this sense of history to draw people in to watching the programme, as they are reminded of the ‘good old days’. Hollyoaks ...

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