Analyse a five-minute extract of an episode of a soap, drawing reference to features which maximise the dramatic effectiveness as seen by the audience.

Authors Avatar

9th December 2001

Laura

Kelly

First five minutes of EastEnders on Monday 26th November

Analyse a five-minute extract of an episode of a soap, drawing reference to features which maximise the dramatic effectiveness as seen by the audience.

        The dramatic effectiveness as viewed by the audience is governed by many different features, for example the camera position and angle. During a peak of tension or drama, the director may choose a close-up shot of a zooming-out shot that fades to either the credits or the next scene. The way the camera captures the picture can either make a scene ‘take off’ or just blend in with any other. At the beginning of Eastenders, there was a birds eye view of the Square that was interrupted by different conversations about dramas going on in different people’s lives. I thought this type of ‘spy’ camera method was fast moving and really effective in maximising the drama in the character’s lives. Another ‘spy’ camera whisked through the market stalls giving you a feeling of being there with the characters and involved in their situations or dilemmas, whether they be good or bad.

        I wasn’t aware of much editing in the scenes I was analysing, but I often heard sound from the following scene, while the current one was still in shot. I also noticed this can be done with the music being held and the picture changing. This became apparent in the first scene, the title music was still playing but the picture had changed to Barry, a failing businessman who was having a angry conversation with his father Roy, about the car lot. During the theme tune and credits at the end of the soap, I noticed straight after the last scene has ended they interrupt the broadcast to advertise another show or an event the channel needs promoting. Although this editing isn’t about the scenes in the extract I still think it is important.  

Join now!

        Lighting is a major and significant part in a soap. I am not sure if it adds too much dramatic tension to a plot but it does help to set the scene. In the scene, between Roy and Barry there was a silhouette created by Barry. He is usually being talked down to. I think by creating a shadow, standing in the window, with his father sitting in an armchair looking at his back, it shows Barry is trying to exert some dominance. Unfortunately for Barry his father was not going to stand being talked to like that. One ...

This is a preview of the whole essay