Soap Opera Trailer Analysis (Two)

Trailer 2 – Emmerdale; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGXX2ubwoIU

In 1904 Stanley Hall states that 'Youth's aged between 12 and 25 are involved with crime, sex or drink and moodiness.' I will now analyse this trailer to see if the majority of this soap will attract the target audience that iTV1 predicted would watch this soap; Youths.

The trailer begins with an aerial shot view of a male character walking down the street in the night with his shadow stretching further up the street.  This could  connote that there is something to do with a mysterious crime happening within the countryside of the soap opera and this male character is acting like a male detective. Therefore this will attract the target audience (Youth's) because they will be curious to know what or who has committed a crime; agreeing with the theorist Stanley Hall (1904) as he states 'Youth's aged between 12 and 25 are involved with crime, drugs, moodiness and sex.”

In terms of sound there is just one main song called 'Wicked Game – Jordan Winter' which sounds very tense by the sound of the drums; like a judgement sound. This will attract the target audience to watch this soap because it could represent the tension within the storyline as it is involved with crime, therefore attract the target audience who fall under the Stanley Hall theory.

A match cut is then taken place as the viewers see the male character in a medium shot walking down the street on the ground, with the camera slightly tilting up, this could connote that the male character is a dominant character with this plot and will agree with the theorist of Marxist as he states; “Men who are straight, white, middle class, are dominant in the media.” This will attract a male audience even more because this character could represent them in terms of the Blumer and Katz theory; 'Diversion, Personal Identity...Information.'

There is then a flash of lighting to be the jump cut of the camera aiming up at a pub sign waving backwards and forth. This could connote to be a clue to the audience watching the Emmerdale trailer and will keep them watching to link the clue's together to whoever committed the murder. This means that the soap will be suitable for the target audience who fall under the Stanley Hall theory (1904) because he states 'teenagers are involved with crime between the ages of 12 and 25.'

In terms of mise-en-sense the male character is then seen through a red phone box in a long shot behind bars, this could connote that the main character here is trapt in this situation until he has made his judgement on who did what in the crime. This will interest the target audience who fall under the Blumer and Katz theory because they will be personal interested in their own reasons to watch the male characters decision is on the investigation of the crime.

Also in terms of mise-en-sense the main character in this trailer is wear a pair of jeans, suitable pair of shoes and a jacket to connote that character will agree with the Marxist theory because he represents 'Straight, White, Middle Class men' in the target audience as well as being a dominant person in the media.

This soap will agree with the Tzvetan Todorov's theory in soaps having 'Equilibrium, Disruption, Disequilibrium, Resolution, New Equilibrium' because this soap has been running since 1989 which means there is always a new twist within a storyline to keep the faithful viewers watching Emmerdale. This could also mean that it has attracted audience who fall under the Blumer and Katz theory because they have been watching this soap regularly for their own personal uses of 'Personal Identity, Diversion and etc.'

A match cut then takes place as around the corner of the letter box is a strawberry blonde female character on her own and a two shot takes place to a close up of the males face and then a close up of the female characters face, who has ran mascara around her eyes to show she's been crying. This could connote that this female character is a suspect just like every other character involved in Emmerdale. This would therefore be suitable for the target audience who fall under the Stanley Hall theory because the ran mascara and close up of the characters facial expressions will connote moodiness or emotion.

Although in terms of mise-en-sense the female characters all are wearing make up and have their hair done to the fashion of their age. This could be attract a large female audience because these characters may represent the female audience, but these female characters may also attract men viewers in terms of the Laura Mulvey (1975) theory of being sexual desires.

Within this soap, the cast has a variety of people in terms of age, this could represent that iTV1 are searching for a wider target audience then they originally planned because each character may represent a British individual who will fall under the Blumer and Katz theory, encouraging people to watch for their personal identity as well as diversion.

The tracking shot continues of the male walking down the streets of the Emmerdale scenes as there is a point of view shot of the viewers being able to look over the main male characters shoulder to a female brunette who is walking past him in the opposite direction looking over. This could connote that this female brunette is just as much as a suspect as everyone else judging by how dark the scene is in terms of lighting. This will attract some of the target audience who fall under the Blumer and Katz theory as they will watch this plot to see if this character is involved in the dramatic storyline taking place on Emmerdale.

Another match cut is then taken place as a car is then diving past the main male character containing other Emmerdale characters inside the car, once again this could connote that these characters are just as much as a suspect as the other due to how their appearing in the dark scenery, demonstrating that this storyline will be suitable for the target audience who will fall under the Blumer and Katz theory because they will be as curious to find out who committed the murder.

This Emmerdale soap opera will agree with Benedict Anderson (1983) theory because all the characters in Emmerdale all know each other in their community in the countryside, stereotyping the British culture to other foreign countries who may watch this soap.

Other characters are on the scene, like a close up of an individual other male character sitting on a picnic bench, an established shot of a family walking into their country home, a long shot of characters walking towards the detective character, connoting that these characters are all about to become aware of the situation that's taking place in the countryside, showing this soap is suitable for the target audience who fall under the Stanley Hall theory because the close ups will represent the emotion upon their face and the crime storyline to see who committed what crime.

But the trailer ends with a tracking shot of the male character being following by another in a buffy coat, not being able to see his face. This will instantly attract target audience's who fall under the Stanley Hall theory because this character in a coat looks youth-ish aged between 12 and 25, stereotypically looking like hes involved with the crime by his appearance. Although the audience will tune in to watch this Emmerdale episode on iTV1 because they will be as curious to see who this guilty character is behind the trouble in the countryside.

Overall this soap has supported the Stanley Hall theory within nearly every point that is noted down  in this essay due to the storyline being involved with crime. Although there has been evidence of other media theorists like Laura Mulvey (Females appearances), Marxist (Straight, White, Middle Class men dominating the media) and Higson (The scene of the countryside stereotyping).

Annaleigh Benn