Sample Hollyoaks Trailer- Deconstruction

•Just from the title card we have the colours aimed at girls (aqua and pink), the gadgets aimed at boys Nikon camera) and the male& female symbol

•Last title card the institution, channel, brand. we have male and female colours (red and aqua) All week at 6.30 and the twitter feed)

•The shot started when the lyrics started, the zoom takes the duration of the lyric. Up beat contempary music- 2 points of light from side and behind creates shadow showing this is going to be a sexy soap.

•Low angle shot, you see a gloved hand opening the door, and then you pan up. The camera is always moving or there is always something moving in the scene.

•Bringing the audience into the room when Lindsey is walking up the stairs the camera is positioned stay at the table with Lindsey and it feels like the audience is actually there. And then the camera looks down on Brendan from half way up the stairs- high angle shot.

•As well as panning across the room you can follow the character into the room and then the camera settles at the people sitting down and it is below the eye level so it is like you’re sat down with them.

•Hollyoaks uses a lot more hand held cameras to make it more exciting and making it realistic for audiences

•Depth of field- reverse over the shoulder shot- 2 points of light on both of them even in silas in the background showing he is not an extra and it looks like he has a devil on his shoulder.

Non- diegetic soundtrack creates “Thought Beats” – music matches edits. Song is contemporary therefore soap is for a teenage audience

• multiple storyline “snippets” in quick succession

• Lots of lights on stars face. Unlike other soaps, light comes from sharp points to create interesting shapes and shadows for the viewer. This has become a convention of the soap, like the “grey” lighting in Eastenders.

• Murderer is anomaly. He’s older than the rest of cast, and in a different place. Camera is at low angle to make him look threatening.

• Two sources of light in some scenes to create shadows

• 12 SECONDS: Static camera with character walking into MCU creates movement with a static camera

• Pan up

• Zoom

• Deep focus

• Asymmetrical framing

• Faces of main characters are fully lit so audience know to concentrate on their emotions

• 13 SECONDS MCU with pull focus to character in background. Pull focus matches movement of character in foreground, linking main character and background character

• Short shots- generally 2-3 seconds each

• Choppy editing to create interest

• POV reverse shots


• Shot reverse shot

• Side on shot

• “Texas” and “Dodger” (great names!) standing very close together-positioning lets audience know about their relationship

• Leaning to draw audience in

• Day, time, brand, twitter on title card at end