REALISM

DEFINITION AND HISTORY

Soap realism, also known as a soap opera or just soap is a serial drama on television which has many related characters and storylines. These stories are often very melodramatic and mainly focus on relationships and day to day life.

The first series considered a soap opera was an American series called Painted dreams and came out in October 1930 and was broadcast throughout the daytime where most listeners would be housewives, so the primary audience was women, this was common for soaps at the time.

Soaps from the UK focus more on everyday situations such as relationships and are often set in a working class environment. Many soaps also focus on social realist stories such as family issues, marriage breakdown and financial problems.

UK soaps often embrace their location as a large factor of the program, playing to stereotypes such as accent, occupations and costume.

FAMOUS EXAMPLES MOST POPULAR

EASTENDERS

First broadcast in the UK in 1985.

Eastenders storylines tend to focus on the domestic and professional lives of people who live in Walford in the East End of London. Originally there were only two half hour episodes per week but since 2001 now 4 episodes are broadcast per week. CORONATION STREET First broadcast in the UK in 1960.

Coronation Street storylines tend to focus on the domestic and professional lives of people who live in Manchester in a fictional Weatherfeild

Coronation street

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en3kqBSbZ50
Eastenders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVkcPDX_GwA

EALISM

Mise En Scene

The use of colour in realism are generally very bland and dark to reflect the realistic and dim reality of life in this case , the grim dark life in north England. Like Coronation Street Eastenders is set in a suburban setting. On the street, in the homes and with props that add to stereo types of characters that fit into the genre. This gives a realistic view of British life. In the Eastenders scene we see a messy home full of washing and toys, everyday house hold appliances and the character conforms to the female British stereo type. Outdoor shots are very low key in terms of light as there is always a lack of vibrant colours , the colour from the original shot is almost unedited to keep the natural look to the setting. The evil character in this scene is seen wearing dark colours to enhance danger .

SOUND IN BRITISH REALISM: EASTENDERS

Non diegetic sounds arent convention in realism soaps and they are mostly made up of dialogue between characters. In this example, there is a conversation between 4 characters who have cockney accents. One character uses slang: forget about that little runt which is typical dialect from the East end. This is used to convey regional identity which is a key convention of British realism soaps.

Realistic every day diegetic sounds are used, here for example, loud knocking on the door which connotes urgency and aggression. Aggression is also conveyed through tone of voice when Ben bursts through the door and starts to shout at Heather. Anger is a typical emotion used in realism soaps.

When Ben kills Heather at the end of this clip, a quiet non diegetic soundtrack plays in the background which is not usually convention in realism soaps. However, soundtracks are sometimes used towards the end of episodes and fade into the closing theme tune. In Eastenders, the closing theme tune starts with a serious of loud thuds which reinforces the hook ending.

SOUND IN BRITISH REALISM: CORONATION STREET

The characters have mancunian accents in this clip which conveys regional identity.

The sound of the car swerving creates drama and a sense of danger.

The only noise prior to the crash is the heavy breathing of David and Nick which creates tension and anticipation.

Similarly to the Eastenders clip, the episode ends with a sound fading into the closing theme. However, in this example it is the diegetic sound of a phone ringing rather than a soundtrack, this also creates a hook ending.

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The scene starts with an extreme long establishing shot, which shows the audience where the characters are and sets the scene. We then go to a close up of Nick and then to David, the close up shot establishes the relationship between the two characters. Shortly after we go to a two shot/ mid shot which shows the two characters together, again this shot establishes the relationship between both characters. This type of cinematography is typical to be used, as soaps are all about relationships and domestic/everyday settings. Afterwards we have a long shot, this shows David and nick through the window screen. The long shot establishes a sense of danger and shows Nick and David are dominated by the surroundings. Later on the camera is put behind the characters, and as David takes the wheel and swerves it, it puts us in there position and we will see what they see. Again, we go to another long shot of the vehicle stationary in the road. Like before, this shows that Nick and David are dominated by their surroundings and that danger is on its wayAfterwards, we go to a close up of both characters. The close up shows both characters facial expressions which show they are both panicked and relieved. Shortly afterwards we go to a two shot, one character (Nick) panting, and then David looking through the window at an oncoming vehicle which we also see, again putting us in Davids and Nicks situation. After the lorry has his the vehicle we go back to another longshot where we see the lorry pushing the car and then a quick shot to the two characters in the vehicle to take in the force of the crash. The scene then ends on a the lorry still pushing the vehicle and it looks as if its coming towards uswhich again lets us take in the force. The shot then cuts to a shot of the back of the lorry and then to an extreme longshot of both vehicles, showing the audience that all characters in the shot are in danger.

EDITING SOAP CLIPS

Eastenders clip; The scene employs straight cuts at the start, this shows verisimilitude, this fits into the idea of realist soaps. This as the scene goes on into dilemma when Ben confronts heather, there are more frequent montage edits which emphasises the rise in panic and danger. During the argument between heather and Ben the camera uses shot reverse shot repeatedly, this again highlighting tension building, as the two and frow of the editing shows conflict. As Ben searches for Heathers money the camera tracks Heather following him in panic. There are another series of montage edits causing the argument to come to a climax when Ben hits heather over the head and kills her.