Media

Esther Odinma

Summer homework

Eastenders

Eastenders is a great example of a British soap opera that most people watch... it has been around for over 23 years and is aimed at a wide

audience of all ages.

Key Convention

British soap operas share key conventions. For example they all have to

have title sequence, (in the title sequence of Eastenders we see the map of the east end so we know its

going to be in the east end of London.)

The location and settings in the soap opera focuses on one location and

presents one community.

Storylines

The storylines in the soaps also deals with themes which as follows (love and

relationship, betrayal and deceit and social issue.) For example in Eastenders

when Honey told Billy she wants no more lies and Bill pretended like he gave all the money, when still had some of the money kept underneath the bed in the drawers and he didn’t even inform Honey about it… This is an example of betrayal and

deceit theme.

Honey and Billy Mitchell

Characters

The Boss Figure Young Couple

The Grandparents Figure

Phil Mitchell

Dot and Jim Branning

Ricky and Sam

Jack-The-Lad

Sean Slater

The Boss Figure is usually male, in a position of authority, either as landlord of the local pub or as

owner of some other business that has an involvement in the lives of other characters. He continues his

natural authority and leadership into his personal life. He has, in the past, been combined with the Jack-

the-lad character.

The plots in the soaps are multi-narrative (there more one storyline at the same time.) There are different types of characters such as (jack the lad, boss figure, grandparents figure, young relationship

couples) for instances in Eastenders.....

A couple that bravely faces the difficulties of life, through their

own, serious relationship problems.

A wise old person, usually female. This character helps others with their problems with advice and

support. He/she has lots of contact with many of the other characters.

Sometimes the character will not be related to any others, but will still

serve this function.

A male character that manipulates others to his own ends. Often the stock 'baddie'. This character may become softened over time, and this

often leads to him becoming the comic relief of the soap.

Events and Situations

Cheats and divorces are when Max Branning cheats on Tanya Branning

with Stacey Slater and Tanya divorces him and starts a relationship with Jack

Branning.

There are typical events and situations that always occur in soap opera, (marriage, someone dying, cheats and divorce.) For instances

Marriage and someone dying was when Dawn was meant to be getting married to

Jase but he died on their wedding day;

Camera AnglesEastenders mostly tends to use Medium shot angles