Derek
Yeah thanks Jeff, we’ll be there.
Jeff stands up and leaves.
INT . FLAT (ROOM 52) – MORNING
Whilst Teri still stands by the breakfast table Owen, Lou and Roland are all rushing around getting ready for the day, making way for Teri at all times.
Teri picks up a carton with a small piece of a hamburger left in it.
Teri
Mmmm, McDonalds. (Laughing) The foundation to any nourishing breakfast.
Owen now starts clearing up the mess on the table.
(Flirtatiously) So did you see anyone last night?
Owen
No. I’m keeping my life essentially uncomplicated for the time being.
Teri
What does that mean?
Owen smiles secretly to himself.
Are you seeing anyone, Owen? Come on tell me.
Owen
Yes.
Teri
Who?
Owen
(Quietly) A very large bottle of the hard stuff.
Owen suddenly looks very sad.
Teri
What?
Teri smiles, but then realises something and shakes her head.
Owen
I shouldn’t be drinking, I know.
Pause. Teri looks very concerned.
No, I’m not really.
Snapping out of it.
I mean, does anyone really see anyone? Does anyone really see anyone else? Could you ever even see me? See? What does that mean? Ha! See? Ha! I just don’t get it. Ha!
Teri
That has a certain tangled logic to it, I guess.
Another long pause.
Owen
Well, are you seeing anyone?
Before Teri has a chance to answer the land lord of the building unexpectedly enters on his own accord with a bothered look resting upon his face.
After taking a short look around the room he snaps. Walking towards and looking intently at Owen. Owen begins walking backwards and ultimately sits back in a lone chair before the land lord like a political prisoner in front of an interrogator.
Landlord
Look at this mess.
Owen
Sorry I’ll clean it up, I promise.
Landlord
Pointing at the rubbish on the table.
(Interrupting) The place is like a tip.
Owen
Sorry, you caught us at a bad time.
Roland
The thing is we’ve been so busy working on our studies that we’ve fallen a bit behind on the housework.
Landlord
Yeah, and the rent.
Owen
We haven’t forgotten, honest.
Landlord
No? So why is it late? Again! I’m getting sick of this. D’you think I’ve got nothing better to do than to chase the three of you?
Owen
Look we’re sorry, it’s just we’re a little stuck for cash what with Alan and Marcus both moving out…(to Roland) How much you got?
Roland
Twenty. That’ll do you to be getting on with?
Landlord
It’ll have to won’t it?
Owen
Yeah well we’ll give you the rest by the end of the week
Landlord
Adjusting his stance ready to leave.
Yeah well you better, and get this place cleaned up.
Owen & Roland
(Nodding) Yeah.
The landlord leaves. Teri glances up at Owen and looks at Roland in distress and sits on the sofa, Roland then follows.
Roland
What’s got into him all of a sudden?
Owen
I don’t know, but he was in one hell of a mood.
Pause.
So what are we gonna do about the money?
Roland looks up.
We could always ask Tony.
Roland
Ha! No chance.
Owen
What if we went to see George?
Roland
George? The mood he’s in I doubt he’ll have any more jobs going.
Owen
We’re gonna have to do something.
INT . FLAT (ROOM 12) – MORNING
Jacqueline stands in the kitchen cleaning the dishes wearing an apron and rubber gloves.
Ritchie stands far behind looking over.
Jacqueline turns around.
Jacqueline
D’you want a coffee?
Kelly
Huh? Oh yeah, cheers.
Pausing momentarily.
You should be at work by now shouldn’t you?
Kelly
Moving around quickly.
I’m not going in.
Kelly
Slowly sitting down on the sofa.
Why’s that?
Jacqueline
Stopping what she’s doing.
Well, I thought we could spend the day together.
Kelly
Are you not feeling well or something?
Jacqueline
(smiling)
No, it’s just I think it’s more important for me to be with you right now.
Kelly
Yeah but mum, I can look after myself, I mean I’m fine honestly.
Jacqueline
I know.
Walking over to the sofa where Ritchie is sitting.
I just really miss having you around, that’s all.
Kelly
Yeah, I know. But don’t feel you have to put yourself out of your way just for my benefit.
Jacqueline
Listen, how about we rent a video together after your morning lecture?
Kelly
Yeah if you want to.
Slight pause.
And maybe you could invite dad around as well?
Jacqueline
No love, not tonight.
Ritchie looks up confused.
Anyway he’s working.
Kelly
(Uncertain) Maybe another night then?
Jacqueline
Yeah, yeah.
Ritchie stands up and walks away slowly.
Jacqueline gives him an apprehensive look.
Treatment for soap opera
Duration: The episodes shall be short and frequent. Each episode shall run for approximately 26 minutes and shall commence three times a week as part of an ongoing series. The average scene shall be from 5 seconds to 5 minutes, usually 1 to 2 minutes.
Target audience: The mainstream age of my target audience shall be 16 – 25 year olds. It shall be aimed at those in need of a sentiment of community which might be deficient in their domestic lives. The target is to relate to those who centre their lives on relationships which is for the most part women as they are generally more compassionate.
This soap presents story bound circumstances and resolutions which my target audience will be able to generally apply to real life as they are of a similar age group and will find themselves in comparable circumstances.
By aiming this soap at the same age group as the characters it allows a sense of the incompleteness to be made which can again be applied to their real lives.
Programme Aims: To inform the audience in order to gain knowledge and information of the world. Creating a Personal identity is also important as the acquisition of a sense of identity through comprehension creates individual values. Integration and social interaction with the soap generates reinforcement and a sense of social belonging through learning about the lives of others. Finally to entertain the audience by producing an emotional escape for relaxation and to forget problems and worries.
Key Settings: The domestic backdrops will exist in the characters apartment of their university accommodation, in their bedrooms and front rooms.
The public spaces of the soap will be the university student meeting room where students congregate in the daytime for discussions. Also scenes will commence in lecture halls and the local pub ‘The Kings Arms’ which will play the core venue for evening socialising.
Outside settings will be around the university grounds and in the local town which will compile of high street shops and market stalls.
Key Characters: There are no central characters to which all the stories evolve around. All the characters feature notably from episode to episode.
The stock characters include:
Owen Lewis – 22 years old in taking a degree in investment and banking. He is not very focused towards his education as he is too concerned with his social life and trying to make a good impression on the love of his life Teri.
Teri Linneker – 22 years old and very flirtatious. She studies theatre at the university though spends most of her time concentrating on getting Owen to notice her. She likes to play on the image that she is a well behaved good girl but continually finds herself caught up in the wrong situations.
Roland Philps – 24 years old and is repeating his first year in geography for the third time. He comes across as very intelligent but as his record shows he is far from it. He is also in love with Teri but does not realise her interest in Owen. He comes across to his friends as being very shallow though to the viewers he is seen quite differently. He also holds a part time job at the local pub.
Lou Toms - 22 years old and also taking a degree in investment banking. He has known Owen his whole life and uses him as a guide for everything so does not have very much independence. He is slightly shy but is liked by everyone.
Tony Mayall – 23 years old and is taking a degree in economics. His aim in life is to become richer and more powerful, in the process of doing this he likes to make other peoples life more difficult. He is disliked by most of the students due to his constant gossiping and criticisms, though this never appears to bother him. He has regularly been seen using drugs although this is not yet clear to the other characters.
Rick Tudor – 20 years old and is featured slightly less frequently. He comes from the couth west and studies geography. His passion in life is surfing and makes it the topic of most of his conversations.
Katie Leary – 23 years old and in the midst of a degree in mathematics, training to become a teacher. She is a very kind character who is a friend to everyone. She has been in a relationship with her boyfriend Derek for several years and has a very stable relationship. She also shares a room with Teri.
Derek Lewis – 25 years old and is the boyfriend of Katie and the brother of Owen. He works in a repair shop near to the university and is regularly seen with Katie and so is well known by others.
Kelly Green – 22 years old and is constantly troubled by family life that is interfering with her degree in accounting. She is an emotional character that is very well supported by her friends.
Plots And Themes: The soap shall reflect the domestic concerns of that flatmates share living together. Everything will revolve around the large storylines taking place at the time like the ups and downs of the relationships between people. The soap will explore serious social issues like the problems and consequences of people being unfaithful in relationships, racism, sexual preferences, rape, crime abortion, drugs, illnesses etc. Throughout this soap the narrative will unfold in real time to create the impression of live carrying on between episodes.
Style: This soap will present the issues in a way that you can see it from their point of view and not others, quite like the way Hollyoaks is approached. It shall be realistic to where it can provide a past in familiar to a great division of the public. There will be realism and an endorsement of female ability, not in the big dramatic stories, but in their fall outs and the day-to-day working through of problems which arise amongst the families and friendship groups that make up this community. The pilot episode will use the enigma code to keep people interested as it will be set in the middle of the communities second year. At this point in time there has been a lot happening that the viewer will need to pick up from watching the episodes as it appears to continue from a previous episode. The highest value will be placed on friendships because it provides a sense of belonging and satisfies the need for roots and identity. This encompasses the whole community as a sort of family that is prey to upsets and conflict, but at the end of the day all pulling together.
