Research on Characters - Eastenders

Before deciding on what treatment was best out of the pitch ideas I produced I decided to take a further look into Eastenders and depict some different characters and there traits. This research will also help me when the final treatment as I can include some of the traits found in characters within our soap.

Lan Beale
Lan's always wanted to be more than an East End barrow boy, but things haven't always gone to plan.

First appearance: 19.02.1985

Marital Status: Married

Address: 45 Albert Square

Occupation: Caterer/Entrepreneur

Most likely to say

I've got to clinch this deal by 5pm.

Tanya Branning

Family is paramount to Tanya. Max was the love of her life, but his affair with Stacey destroyed their marriage, and nearly destroyed her.

First appearance: 27.06.2006

Marital Status: Engaged

Address: Outside of Walford

Occupation: Salon manager

Most likely to say

This really is the last time, Max.

Stacey Branning

Stacey's aim in life is to look after number one, and stuff everyone else! She's no angel, a

nd she's learned how to twist the truth to suit her.

First appearance: 02.11.2004

Marital Status: Widowed

Address: 23 Albert Square

Occupation: Stall holder

Most likely to say

Like that's gonna stop me!

Jay Mitchell

Street-smart Jay has been hit hard by the death of his mum, grandmother and dad, Jase.

First appearance: 14.12.2006

Marital Status: single

Address: 55 Victoria Road

Occupation: Student

Most likely to say

Got a problem?

After conducing research into four different characters within Eastenders I was able to understand common traits expressed in characters. For example we have the father/business man who often whats to clench deals in order to better his family. We also have the mother figure, who always has her childrens best interests at heart. Stacey is a teenager who is constantly causing trouble and getting herself into tricky situations. This character trait can be used in my trailer as I feel many audience members will find this interesting. Jay has faced heartbreak in his life which many people can relate to which is why he is a successful character in Eastenders. Heartbreak will be a narrative I will convey in my treatment as I feel this will create realism.

I will now watch this episode of Eastenders and anaylise it. I feel this will be important for me as I will be able to identify the common characters within soaps along with the shot types and movements that work best within the soap. It will also be good practice to see the kinds of narrative stories that are introduced in order for me to understand what audiences expect to see within a soap. I will also anaylise the realism and sense of community that is introduced in Eastenders.

Pitch Table

Idea 1
Possible Title: Changes
Content : School children witness a murder - changes their lives
Target Audience (age, gender, social class ect) : Male and Female , Teenagers and all backgrounds
Channel and time of broadcast : Channel 4 at 9.00pm
Frequency: Twice a week - Monday and Friday

I feel this soap opera can be successful because I aim to attract both male and females from all backgrounds which maximises the amount of viewers I am able to gain. Although scheduling my soap at 9.00pm can be seen as a late time , I feel it is an appropriate time because it will not clash with other soaps such as Eastenders and Coronoation Street which are my main competitors.

Idea 2
Possible Title: Living on the edge
Content : Poor families, struggling to live - consequences
Target Audience (age, gender, social class ect) : Male and Female , adults 18 + and working class backgrounds
Channel and time of broadcast : Channel 1 at 9.00pm
Frequency: Twice a week - Tuesday and Thursday

"Living on the edge" aims to attract both male and female viewers over the age of 18, this is a wide target audience so it is vital that I introduce a narrative that can be interesting to a large audience. Working class backgrounds may be interested int his soap more than others as they may be facing some of the issues expressed. This soap will be shown at 9.00pm as it is only aimed at 18 year old's plus. I understand that this may limit the success however I want to explore issues that may not be suitable for under 18s. I feel the frequency is correct for this soap as I do not want to compete against other soap operas, I want viewers to watch my soap in addition to others.

Idea 3
Possible Title: Diaries
Content : Outlining different views on sexuality
Target Audience (age, gender, social class ect) : Male and Female , adults 18 + and all backgrounds
Channel and time of broadcast : Channel 4 at 10.00pm
Frequency: Twice a week - Thursday and Friday

"Diaries" is a soap expressing different views on sexuality and how it can change families lives. As this soap will be expressing some diverse situations it was important that the age limit was 18 and over. I felt this soap would be interesting for all backgrounds as I aim to introduce characters from different cultural backgrounds throughout the soap. As the content for this soap is intense, 10.00pm seemed a suitable time to broadcast this soap. However I am aware that this timing slot may limit to the success and exposure the soap will gain. I would like to end each episode with a cliffhanger in order to entice the audience, which is why I choose the frequency of this soap to be on days after one another.

Idea 4
Possible Title: Winchmore Hills
Content : Spoilt, rich teenagers living the life
Target Audience (age, gender, social class ect) : Female , Teenagers 16+ , all backgrounds
Channel and time of broadcast : Channel 4 at 8.00pm
Frequency: Three times a week - Monday , Wednesday and Friday

"Winchmore Hills" is a soap following the lives of teenagers around the area of Winchmore Hill (expressed in the title). Although I am targeted all ages above 16 and all backgrounds I understand that I will have a small target audience as mainly only females will be interested in this soap. 8.00pm is a appropriate time for this soap and will enable this soap to gain exposure to all ages. I feel the frequency of three times a week will aid the target audience to watch the soap as it will give them a break of two days a week in between episodes.


All members within my group held a meeting to discuss all our pitch ideas before choosing one. It was important for each group member to come up with many different pitch ideas so we could have a wide range to choose from. It was vital that we could all confer about each idea and decide which one we felt was best for our soap opera. As a group we went through each idea and discussed the strengths and weaknesses. It was important we gave each idea the same amount of time as at a first glance the idea may not seem interesting but after a discussion each idea was clear to our group. We now have an idea in which we would like our project to go however a sufficient amount of planning and preparation must go ahead first. We would first choose the best treatment amongst our own pitch tables which would result in 3 final treatments to pick the final one.However before completing the treatment for my best soap idea, I will carry out more research into the soap Eastenders as I feel the input I will gain, can influence the treatment I finalise.

Eastenders Title Sequence

There are many conventions that work together in order to make the title sequence of Eastenders effective and memorable to the audience. Camera work/movements , Sound, Editing and Mise-en-scene are all very important factors of the title sequence. Viewers of Eastenders are able to voyeur in on characters lives which is shown in the title sequence through the use of a birds eye view (camera work). The ariel shot puts the audience in perspective and allow them to gain a full viewing point. The camera also spirals out throughout the title sequence which represents the narrative within the soap as many situations spiral out of control and become larger over time.

Picking the correct theme tune for Eastenders was a important decision for producers in 1985 when the soap opera was created. Although some viewers may feel the theme tune isn't correct for the genre of Eastenders, it has become very memorable to viewers and others who do not even watch the soap. The iconic drum roll at the start of the title sequence creates an intense image to the audience before watching the soap. The tune familaries the audience to the particular soap, and allows them to get into the mind fame of the world of Eastenders before it begins. Although the sound can be seen as intense at the start because of the drum roll, as it progresses the pace of the sound slows down creating a mellow atmosphere which represents the slow pace of some story lines within Eastenders.

Editing is used to create an effect during the title sequence of Eastenders, for example the title of the soap is shown at the end of sequence to stay fresh in the viewers mind before the soap begins, this may also be because the music has already established what the soap is without showing the title itself. The color of the title is dull and dismal which represents the overall mood of Eastenders.

Mise-en-scene is a vital element to the title sequence as it portrays everything you can see within the sequence. The river thames is shown as it is idenficiation of the location of the soap for example the east end of London. This shows a sense of realism and allows the audience to relate to the soap for example the millennium dome is shown on the title sequence which can influence them to watch the soap.Colors are enhanced on the title sequence for example the river thames is a bright blue color which can express the overall dullness of the rest of the title sequence, the dullness represents the reality of the soap as it generally expresses morbid and dark situations.

After analysing the title sequence of Eastenders I feel I now have a better understanding on the ommon conventions that make a soap sequence effective. As a group we now decided that we would now make own our pitch ideas for a new and upcoming soap. After making these pitches we would decide the most effective soap idea that we can focus and improve in order to fit all of our creative needs.

What is a Soap Opera ?

Soap Operas

A Soap Opera is known as ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction which is presented in serial format on television. According to Albert Moran soap operas, is "that form of television that works with a continuous open narrative. Each episode ends with a promise that the storyline is to be continued in another episode”. An individual episode of a soap will generally switch between different story treads that may interconnect and affect one another however they may also run entirely independently.

Soap Operas are built up by many different elements, when producing a soap opera it is important to consider all elements which can be represented in the form of a check list. These elements include :

• Dialogue of characters - everyday characters
  

• Reflecting daily life e.g. Christmas , Easter, summer exams and results.

• Cliff hangers - A cliff hanger ends in suspense in order to interest the viewer in the next installment.

• Narrative - A narrative is a story that is created in a constructive format that describes a sequence of fictional or non-fictional events.

• Target Audience - The intended group for which my soap will be targeted at. For example Females aged over 18.

• Representation - The way in which issues are expressed. This includes stereotype, arch-type, gender , ethnicity and sexuality

• Realism/ Real time - Many Soap Operas ensure their narrative has a sense of realism so the audience can relate to it. Soaps run in real time which also expresses realism.
  

• Script - The script will hold the lines in which every character must say in order for the narrative to progress.
  

• Short scenes - Short scenes are used in many soaps to entice the viewer by leaving the narrative unexplained.
  

• Series - A series is mainly known for being a weekly program with the same cast and format and a continuing storyline.
  

• Serial - A serial is known as a program that never ends and is on all year round with a continuing storyline.

• Parallel story lines - Parallel story lines include interconnecting narratives.
  

• Contradiction - Many soap operas can contradict themselves throughout story lines. For example the death of dirty Den in Eastenders who came back from the dead to rejoin the cast.
  

• Peak viewing times - When aiming to produce a new soap it is important to understand peak viewing times, this could be to ensure you do not play your soap at the same time as a competitor.
  

• Gossip - Gossip allows the audience to easy pick up on current story lines, may it be through gossip within the soap or other medias.
  

• Other media - such as newspapers, magazines and internet spoilers
  

• Regional identity - accents, sometimes it can be aware to a viewer where a certain character is from by the accent in their voice.

• Social class - Social class is known as grouping people based on common economic and other characteristics determined by society and reflecting a social hierarchy. When producing a new soap opera the producer will have to decide which social class they will market to.
  

• Resinate - This is a long term viewer, somebody who has watched the same soap for years.
  

• Social indicators /cultural
  

Narrative

A narrative is a story that is created in a constructive format that describes a sequence of
fictional or non-fictional events. Narrative is described through tension and the resolution of that tension by reaching a satisfactory ending. Open ended narratives are used in soap operas which show no closure at the end of an episode, the only real moments of closure are death or departure. Cliff-hangers are used in soap operas to gain audience attention and create an exciting moment of suspense or mystery at the close of an episode. Eastenders may have up to 6 different story lines progressing in each episode.

Representation of characters

Representation of characters are important in Soap Operas because they reflect the different conventions and aspects of the Soap Operas. Characters are used to show realism and by having realistic characters in Soap Operas it makes the soap more realistic for the audience. They can relate or have similar views with the character.



The pictures represent the older characters in Eastenders for example Dot and Jim Braning. These characters will be relatable to the older generation who watch this soap. They have different morals and views to the other younger characters.


Realism

Soap Operas must have a sense of realism so they can relate to the audience. Audiences can be enticed by the soap operas because of the taboo issues shown on TV. Neighbours an Australian Soap Opera for example use realism through the young adult characters and they deal with love triangles, family feuds. Neighbours is more glamourised to Eastenders. Eastenders show more Teenage pregnancies, alcoholics, affairs, prostitution etc. If a person from Australia was to view Eastenders they would think it is more gritty.

Realist issues in Eastenders:





Stacey Slater who suffers from bipolar, and the viewers get to see how she deals with the disorders. Her storyline about bipolar proved to be very interested and informative for the audience. Many viewers can sympathise with Stacey as well as she is also a single mother.





Phil Mitchell is shown to be an alcoholic and we see the affects of him being addicted to alcohol. Audiences were intrigued to see if he could get himself clean and how his problem affected his family.

By showing issues like these on British TV it shows the realism of society and how these things are happening and could happen. This is why it is different soap operas from different countries.

Audience

Measuring an audience is very important when producing a new product and it is useful for all media institutions. Research of audiences is vital and is done thought all the stages of production in order to receive the best possible outcome. It is important to ensure that audiences feel connected to a particular media text and that they can relate to it.

When producing a drama of any kind it is important that producers are aware of the target audience which is the group in which the program is aimed at. For example if producing a teen drama it is important to aim to attract teenagers between the ages of 13-18.

Many different soap operas have different target audiences for example whilst Eastenders aims to attract people of all ages Hollyoaks only aims to appeal to teenagers which can limit the success of the serial.

Attracting audiences can be done by the use many different conventions such as Editing, Sound/Dialogue, Mise-en-scene and Camera work. For example using large amounts of dialogue to explain the narrative will be useful.

I will now watch Eastenders's title sequence. I feel it would be useful for me to anaylse this title sequence to see what common conventions are used and what they can represent. This anaylsis will aid me when producing my soap opera as I may find it useful to use some of these conventions in my soap trailer.