Summary of conventions

Conventions of a soap trailer:

From analysing existing trailers I have found that soap trailers are very fast paced. They cut between each scene many times and each shot lasts between 1 second and 5 seconds maximum. The transitions used include straight cuts, fade to white, fade to black and dissolves, this helps to break up the scenes, particularly when there is a change of location. The fast paced editing helps to connote a sense of chaos and drama.
Trailers tend to focus on one upcoming storyline. They show the most dramatic scenes, giving a basic insight into the plot. The most important information and plot developments are left out, making the viewer want to watch the soap to find out what happens, it draws them in and leaves them asking questions after watching it. Whilst trailers are short, they tend to start by introducing the characters into the story, then progressing into the plot and the developments. This helps the newer viewers gain an understanding so they can make sense of what they are watching.
With regards to sound, I have found two techniques used. One of these is to have no dialogue through the trailer. Non-digetic music is used, combined with a voice over. The non-digetic music helps to create a theme which can be combined with elements of mise-en-scene and camerawork to hammer home this theme further, this was seen to work well with the lucky theme in the Coronation Street further. The voice over helps to pull the story along- mostly being helpful to the new viewer. The voice over can also be used to ask a rhetorical question, as seen in the Emmerdale trailer, which gets the audiences attention and makes them think- therefore drawing them in further. Another technique used is to have dialogue telling the story through the trailer. By hearing the characters voices this helps the audience to see their reactions and emotions more clearly.
At the end of all trailers the scenes end to show the end titles. This is mainly the logo of the soap, the time is is shown, the date/days and the institution- eg. BBC Three or E4. As this is the last thing shown it would be the last thing the audience will remember, therefore ensuring they know when they can watch the soap, after hopefully being drawn in by everything they had seen beforehand.

Conventions of a soap listings magazine cover:

Soap listings magazine covers follow the conventions of most magazines, however the conventions are altered because of the target audience of the magazine. The covers follow the conventional route of the eye. This starts on the masthead- important to the reader, so they can identify the magazine, then follows through the main image and coverline- the most important story the issue of the magazine is advertising, then through the other teaser coverlines and images- other soaps and story lines. The masthead is one of the largest things on the page, it is always clear and easy for the reader to identify. It helps to build the house style of the magazine. The main image is mostly a medium close up or a mid shot. It features one or two of the main characters of the specific storyline looking directly at the camera. This helps to create a connection with the reader and they feel like they are more personal with them. If two characters are involved it is usually one standing behind them, looking over their shoulder. This helps to connote tension, that one character is suspicious of the other. From this the audience can start to build up potential story lines. The main image is bordered by other smaller teasers. These are features from other soaps, with other characters. No character is seen on the cover more than once. By using a vast array of soaps it helps the magazine appeal to more people and a wider audience.
The colour schemes used are consistently bright and bold. This helps to highlight the coverline text and make the cover stand out. The colours used also connote the themes of the storyline shown. Yellow is seen to be used to connote the happier story lines, red and black connote danger and anger, pink and red connote love and friendly story lines.
The mode of address is very informal. Covers use short and snappy coverlines. This ensure not too much of the storyline is given away and that they audience aren't being made to read loads of the cover. It also leaves more room for images, which are the main thing that attracts the audience to the soap. A lot of coverlines use rhetorical questions on the cover. These help to entice the reader to pick up the magazine as they start thinking about what is being asked. They feel more personally involved as they start to build up the storyline in their head, just from reading the cover.

Conventions of a soap poster:

From the soap posters I have analysed I have found that they conventionally use colour to connote feelings/atmosphere and emotions. As with soap magazines, red is used for love, blue and yellows create happiness and a welcome feeling. This is seen on the Hollyoaks poster, on the left image it uses dull, brown and red colours to create a grim looking, old pub atmosphere. On the right hand image it uses more glamorous silvers and blues to look more new, signifying that the characters are happy.
Posters mainly use one simple image that sticks in peoples minds. Mise-en-scene, through costumes and props, is used to show the personalities of the characters and reflect their ages.
The text used is simple and easy to read. It is clear for the audience to read. The slogans are mainly short, relatable to the soap, so they are remembered by the audience. They enforce the idea of the poster further. For example the Hollyoaks slogan 'Rub some Hollyoaks on it' continues the theme of Hollyoaks being more glamorous and sophisticated than other soaps, something that is shown in the two images. The Neighbours slogan 'Same Ramsay Street, new home' gets the purpose of the poster across. This is something that I will need to think of carefully when making my poster, as the purpose will be to advertise a new soap, the slogan will need to do this accordingly.
Conventionally, all soap posters have the name of the soap, the time and date it is broadcast, a logo related to the soap and the institution, also mainly a logo. This is something that is vital to the poster, as it is the purpose of the poster. This is mainly placed in the terminal optical area of the poster, so it is the last thing the audience see, therefore stays in their mind.